THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

PRESENTED  BY 

PROF.  CHARLES  A.  KOFOID  AND 
MRS.  PRUDENCE  W.  KOFOID 


TRAINING  THE  HUNTING  DOG 


FOR 


THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS. 


BY  B.  WATERS, 

AUTHOR  OF  "MODERN  TRAINING,"  "FETCH  AND  CARRY,"  ETC. 


NEW  YORK : 
FOREST  AND  STREAM  PUBLISHING  CO. 


COPYRIGHT,  1901,  BY 
FOREST  AND  STREAM  PUBLISHING  CO. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGE. 

General  Principles 9 

CHAPTER  II. 
Instinct,  Reason  and  Natural  Development 26 

CHAPTER  III. 
Natural  Qualities  and  Characteristics 53 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Punishment  and  Bad  Methods 68 

CHAPTER  V. 
The  Best  Lessons  of  Puppyhood 78 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Yard  Breaking 85 

5 


M363035 


O  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

PAGE. 

"Heel"  ................................................  I00 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
Pointing  ...............................................  II7 

CHAPTER  IX. 
Backing  ...............................................  I42 

CHAPTER  X. 
Reading  and  Drawing  ..................................  j 


CHAPTER  XL 
Ranging 


CHAPTER  XII. 
Dropping  to  Shot  and  Wing 


CHAPTER  XIII. 
Breaking  Shot,  Breaking  In,  Chasing 


CHAPTER  XIV. 
Retrieving  ..........................................  I9I 


CONTENTS.  7 

CHAPTER  XV. 

PAGE. 

The  Natural  Method 201 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
The  Force  System 213 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
Gun-shyness  and  Blinking 230 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
The  Tools  of  Training 239 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
Field  Trial  Breaking  and  Handling 245 

CHAPTER  XX. 
Field  Trial  Judging 260 

CHAPTER  XXI. 
Kennel  Management   276 


TRAINING  THE  HUNTING  DOG 

FOR 

THE  FIELD  AND   FIELD  TRIALS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

GENERAL   PRINCIPLES. 

DOG  TRAINING,  considered  as  an  art,  has  no  mys- 
teries, no  insurmountable  obstacles,  no  short  cuts  to 
success.  It  is  a  result  of  the  patient  schooling  of  the 
dog  in  manner  analogous  to  that  employed  in  the 
schooling  of  the  child,  with  the  distinction,  however, 
that  the  former  is  prepared  with  a  special  view  to  a 
limited  servitude  when  used  in  the  pursuit  of  game. 

In  the  furtherance  of  this  purpose,  man,  by  certain 
methods,  simply  diverts  the  efforts  of  the  dog  to  Ms 
own  service. 

Once  that  his  prey  is  found,  man  has  great  powers 
pf  destruction;  but  as  compared  to  the  dog,  he  is 


IO  TRAINING   THE   HUNTING  DOG 

distinctly  inferior  as  a  finder.  By  concerted  action, 
man  and  dog  can  find  and  capture  much  more  than 
either  could  if  working  independently. 

In  his  search  for  prey  the  dog's  purpose  is  dis- 
tinctly selfish,  as  is  man's,  but  being  much  inferior 
he,  when  man  so  wills  it,  must  needs  take  the  position 
of  servant.  However,  his  pleasure  in  the  pursuit  is 
so  great  that,  even  if  denied  possession  after  the  prey 
is  captured,  there  is  still  sufficient  incentive  to  satisfy 
his  self-interest;  therefore  he  generally  is  content  to 
exercise  his  best  hunting  effort  for  the  pleasure  he 
feels,  with  some  hopes  to  share  in  the  fruits. 

The  dog  is  gregarious  by  nature,  and  prefers  to 
hunt  in  packs ;  but  the  concerted  action  of  the  pack, 
in  the  effort  to  capture  its  prey,  is  not  the  manner 
best  adapted  to  the  requirements  of  the  sportsman, 
although  there  are  certain  analogies  to  it  inasmuch 
as  in  the  pack  life  the  dog  may,  in  the  efforts  of  a 
common  purpose,  recognize  and  defer  more  or  less  to 
a  leader.  While  this  characteristic  to  hunt  in  com- 
pany is  of  value  to  the  sportsman,  the  manner  of  its 
exercise  to  best  serve  his  purpose  must  be  subjected 
to  much  modification  and  restriction  in  many  of  its 
parts.  When  working  to  the  gun  the  dog  must  take 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  1 1 

a  place  so  distinctly  secondary  that  it  is  that  of 
servant. 

To  suppress  or  restrict  his  inclination  to  take  the 
leading  part  so  far  as  it  is  against  the  best  interests 
of  the  gun,  and  to  school  him  in  other  special  knowl- 
edge for  its  advantage,  constitute  an  education  called 
training  or  breaking. 

The  art  of  dog  training  is  acquired  by  intelligent 
study  and  practice,  as  proficiency  in  any  other  art  is 
acquired.  All  who  have  the  time,  talent  and  industry 
may  become  skillful  dog  trainers,  as  all  who  have 
these  qualifications  may  become  skillful  in  any  other 
accomplishment,  trade  or  profession.  But,  in  the  ed- 
ucation of  boys  and  girls  and  men  and  women,  there 
is  no  educational  system  which  compensates  for  ig- 
norance and  inefficiency  if  deeply  grounded  on  the 
part  of  the  teacher,  nor  for  incapacity  if  shown  on 
the  part  of  the  pupil.  There  must,  on  the  one  hand, 
be  the  ability  to  learn  how  to  convey  knowledge,  and 
on  the  other  the  ability  to  receive  it,  else  there  can  be 
no  proper  progress. 

The  mental  capacity  of  the  dog  and  the  knowledge 
necessary  to  serve  him  throughout  his  life  are  in- 
finitely less  than  those  which  are  necessary  to  man. 


12  -         TRAINING   THE   HUNTING   DOG 

Nevertheless  his  manner  of  acquiring  knowledge  is 
in  a  way  similar  to  the  manner  employed  by  man  in 
that  respect. 

Some  years  ago,  when  the  ability  to  train  a  dog 
was  so  rare  that  it  was  the  realm  of  the  marvelous, 
it  by  many  people  was  considered  as  a  "gift,"  a  some- 
thing of  capability  conferred  by  Nature;  therefore, 
coming  to  the  trainer  quite  independent  of  experi- 
ence. At  the  present  day,  sportsmen  have  no  faith 
in  the  skill  of  him  whose  knowledge  is  held  to  be 
innate  from  birth.  On  the  other  hand,  any  system 
set  forth  as  having  some  inherent  virtue,  whereby  a 
dog  may  be  trained  quickly  and  thoroughly  regard- 
less of  his  capacity  to  receive  training  or  his  trainer's 
capacity  to  give  it,  denotes  that  the  advocate  of  such 
system  is  ignorant  concerning  it,  or  else  is  not  over- 
scrupulous as  to  the  manner  of  treating  it. 

While  this  work  will  fully  set  forth  a  description 
of  the  natural  qualities  of  the  dog,  their  relation  to 
field  work,  and  the  best  manner  of  diverting  them 
from  the  dog's  own  purposes  to  those  of  the  sports- 
man, success  in  the  application  of  its  teachings  de- 
pends entirely  on  the  trainer  himself. 

Some  natural  capability  on  the  trainer's  part  with 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  1 3 

some  experience  to  supplement  it  is  essential  before 
any  substantial  progress  as  a  teacher  is  reasonably 
to  be  expected.  The  mere  reading  of  a  work  on  dog 
training,  and  some  hit-or-miss  attempts  at  applying 
its  precepts,  do  not  constitute  an  education  in  the 
art.  An  accomplished  dog  trainer  is  not  the  product 
of  some  hours  of  reading  with  a  few  more  hours  of 
trouble  with  a  dog  added  thereto. 

He  who  acquires  the  art  must  acquaint  himself 
with  dog  nature,  with  the  details  of  practical  field 
work  as  they  relate  to  setters  and  pointers,  and,  to  a 
reasonable  degree,  with  the  manner  of  imparting 
knowledge  to  a  creature  so  much  lower  in  the  scale 
of  intelligence  than  himself.  He,  furthermore,  must 
specially  school  himself  in  the  quality  of  self-re- 
straint; for,  in  the  attempt  to  govern  man  or  dog, 
it  is  essential  that  the  governor  of  others  should  learn 
to  govern  himself. 

However  good  the  instruction  may  be  in  itself,  it 
in  no  wise  compensates  for  the  inefficiency  conse- 
quent to  ill  temper  if  the  latter  be  exhibited.  In 
short,  no  treatise  can  do  more  than  set  forth  what 
should  be  done  and  what  should  not  be  done. 

As  to  the  natural  qualifications  of  a.  trainer,  in  dog 


14  TRAINING   THE   HUNTING  DOG 

training,  as  in  all  other  branches  of  human  effort, 
there  are  men  who  are  eminently  efficient  and  men 
who  are  incompetent.  Apart  from  these  extremes, 
the  average  man  may  attain  to  useful,  practical  effici- 
ency as  a  trainer.  To  determine  whether  he  can 
train  or  not,  it  is  necessary  to  make  the  attempt,  for 
without  such  trial  he  cannot  know  definitely  any- 
thing concerning  his  ability. 

However  good  may  be  any  instruction  in  respect 
to  conducting  the  dog's  education  for  the  service  of 
the  gun,  from  the  foregoing  remarks  it  is  clear  that 
the  matters  of  patience,  industry,  perseverance,  good 
temper  and  talent  lie  with  the  trainer  himself.  In- 
cidentally, it  may  be  remarked  in  respect  to  patience 
and  good  temper,  that  no  one  can  train  dogs  success- 
fully without  them,  or,  at  least,  a  partial  equivalent 
in  perseverance  and  self-control;  yet  while  they  are 
prime  requisites,  they  are  oftenest  the  least  observed 
by  the  impetuous  amateur. 

Hurry  and  harshness  always  seriously  retard  the 
dog's  education  instead  of  advancing  it.  In  most  in- 
stances the  beginner  gives  the  dog  an  order,  then 
hastily  proceeds  in  a  conversational  way  to  tell  him 
what  it  all  means.  Failing  to  accomplish  his  pur- 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  1 5 

poses  in  a  moment,  he  becomes  irritated,  warm  and 
inclined  to  use  force.  If  the  dog  struggle  to  escape 
from  what  is  so  amazing  and  painful  to  him,  yet 
from  what  was  intended  to  be  an  instructive  lesson, 
the  act  begets  anger  and  this  in  turn  begets  violence. 
The  transition  from  the  A  B  C's  to  a  flogging  is  com- 
monly very  quick,  in  the  first  attempts. 

Being  advised  so  fully  on  this  point,  the  beginner 
should  exercise  the  greatest  care  in  observing  self- 
control  and  an  intelligent  consideration  of  the  dog's 
powers;  but  strange  to  say,  the  advice  is  at  first 
rarely  heeded.  Sooner  or  later  he  must  learn  that 
punishment  teaches  the  puppy  nothing  useful;  that 
it  evokes  distrust  and  resentment ;  that  it  lessens  or 
destroys  all  affection  for  the  trainer  and  all  interest 
in  his  purposes;  and  that  when  fear  dominates,  the 
puppy,  being  in  a  disorganized  state  of  mind,  is  in- 
capable of  learning  even  the  simplest  lessons.  When 
thus  intimidated  his  confidence  must  be  restored  by 
kind  treatment,  and  then  a  greater  degree  of  patience 
and  self-restraint  is  necessary  than  was  necessary 
before. 

If  the  amateur  would  consider  the  days  when  he 
himself  was  a  pupil  at  school  he  would  therefrom 


l6  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

better  grasp  the  disadvantages  under  which  the  pup- 
py labors.  With  a  better  intellect,  with  the  advan- 
tages of  a  language  both  oral  and  written,  and  with 
more  years  at  school  than  wrould  measure  twice  the 
age  of  the  average  old  dog,  the  boy  in  comparison 
makes  slow  progress  even  in  the  rudiments.  If,  in- 
stead of  patient  treatment,  the  teacher  shook  him  by 
the  collar,  cuffed  his  ears  or  kicked  him  in  the  ribs 
as  the  true  method  of  conveying  knowledge,  no  sensi- 
ble person  would  expect  the  boy  to  learn  much.  In- 
deed, corporal  punishment,  even  as  a  corrective,  has 
been  almost  entirely  abolished  in  the  public  schools. 
And  yet  the  .same  patient  effort  on  the  part  of  the 
teacher  in  educating  the  boy  is  much  the  same  as  that 
to  be  observed  in  the  education  of  the  dog. 

Dog  training,  in  any  of  its  particulars,  is  not  a 
matter  of  set  forms  and  arbitrary  methods.  Each 
particular  pupil  should  be  developed  according  to  his 
individual  characteristics,  and  the  governing  circum- 
stances. There  are  hundreds  of  little  differences  of 
dog  character  and  capabilities  to  be  noted  and  con- 
sidered, and,  until  the  trainer  can  perceive,  under- 
stand and  take  advantage  of  them,  his  attempts  to 
teach  will  be  more  or  less  arbitrary  and  mechanical. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  I? 

He  may  now  and  then  have  some  success  with  an 
arbitrary  method  which  happens  to  fit  a  certain  dog's 
peculiarities,  but  it  is  merely  a  happening. 

It  requires  but  little  thought  to  perceive  the  ab- 
surdity of  applying  a  set  method  alike  to  the  nervous, 
the  weak,  the  stupid,  the  intelligent,  the  lazy,  the 
timid,  the  slow,  the  industrious,  etc.  Such  a  course 
of  treatment  must  result  in  many  failures. 

Methods  should  be  adapted  to  the  circumstances 
of  each  individual  case,  compromising  as  much  as 
possible  with  the  idiosyncrasies  of  the  pupil,  with  a 
view  to  obtain  the  best  results  independently  of 
arbitrary  method. 

By  kindness  and  refraining  from  attempts  to 
force  progress  beyond  the  dog's  capacity,  success  will 
result  in  every  case  where  it  is  possible.  However, 
nothing  progressive  can  be  expected  of  the  mentally 
weak,  the  constitutional  loafer,  or  the  dog  whose 
nose  is  functionally  incapable  of  serving  up  to  the 
requirements. 

The  trainer  may  proceed  on  the  theory  that  the 
dog  learns  only  from  practical  experience;  that  all 
the  advantages  of  oral  communication  possessed  by 
man,  excepting  a  few  of  limited  degree,  are  denied 


1 8  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

to  him;  that  his  intellect  and  his  ability  to  learn 
readily  are  far  inferior  to  those  of  his  teacher ;  that 
he  needs  time  in  which  to  learn,  as  did  his  teacher  be- 
fore him,  and  that  in  the  matter  of  force  against 
force,  he  is  practically  helpless. 

Let  the  lessons  be  prepared  and  taught  with  a  rec- 
ognition that  puppy  hood  corresponds  to  infancy,  and 
thereby  afford  the  puppy  an  opportunity  to  learn 
them  from  his  standpoint.  The  teacher's  standpoint, 
if  it  ignore  dog  nature  and  dog  intellect,  may  be  in- 
comprehensible to  him. 

The  dog's  education  proceeds  on  certain  lines  re- 
gardless of  the  terms  used  to  denote  it.  Thus  the 
terms  "training"  and  "breaking"  have  a  common  ap- 
plication, and,  as  commonly  used,  their  significance 
is  synonymous.  Either  one,  however,  apart  from 
their  technical  significance,  could  be  construed  as 
having  a  distinct  meaning.  For  instance,  it  may  be 
considered  that  a  dog  is  trained  to  do  what  is  right 
and  broken  from  doing  what  is  wrong.  Theoretic- 
ally, the  former  may  not  presuppose  any  punishment 
at  all;  practically,  the  theory  is  a  failure.  Several 
writers  have  drawn  a  fine  distinction  between  the 
words  as  they  relate  to  training,  as  though  therein 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  1Q 

lay  the  fundamental  principles  of  the  art,  though  it 
is  quite  independent  of  any  juggle  of  words.  A  dog 
trains  on  without  punishment  if  he  does  not  need  it ; 
if  he  does  need  it,  it  should  be  given  to  him. 

Some  dogs  require  very  little  punishment ;  others 
require  a  great  deal.  If  the  dog  needs  painful  correc- 
tion, punish  him ;  if  he  does  not,  do  not  punish  him. 
Whatever  may  be  the  choice  of  terms,  this  is  the  cor- 
rect procedure  under  either ;  it  is  all  a  matter  of  train- 
ing or  a  matter  of  breaking,  or  a  matter  of  both  as 
the  trainer  pleases.  However,  at  no  time  does  a  dog 
need  punishment  simply  because  the  trainer  is  angry 
at  him.  It  then  is  an  emotion  of  the  trainer  entirely 
distinct  from  training. 

The  dog  is  naturally  fond  of  company.  He  pre- 
fers the  society  of  his -fellows,  though  he  recognizes 
the  domination  of  man,  and  has  a  profound  affection 
for  him.  Nevertheless,  his  purposes  when  seeking 
prey  are  quite  independent  of  man  and  quite  selfish 
in  their  unchecked,  natural  play.  He  may  love  his 
master  with  a  fervor  unlimited,  but  it  is  no  factor 
when  he  is  in  hot  pursuit.  From  the  untrained  dog's 
point  of  view,  the  chase  and  its  possibilities  are 
strictly  a  matter  between  himself  and  the  rabbit,  in 


2O  TRAINING   THE   HUNTING   DOG 

manner  similar  to  the  relation  between  dog  and  din- 
ner. The  whistle,  loud  commands  and  praise,  he 
then  alike  ignores.  This  self-interest,  displayed  by 
the  dog,  is  an  important  factor  in  his  training.  There 
must  always  be  sufficient  incentive  of  a  selfish  nature 
to  induce  his  best  effort.  His  trainer  may  have  some 
of  the  same  property. 

There  are  writers  who  solemnly  affirm  that  the  in- 
stinct to  hunt  is  by  Nature  implanted  in  the  dog  for 
the  benefit  of  man,  or  at  least  for  such  relatively 
small  number  of  men  as  can  sally  forth  afield  to  kill 
birds.  The  nature  and  acts  of  the  dog  oppose  this 
egotistical  opinion  on  every  point.  The  dog  never 
enjoys  himself  better  than  when  on  a  self -hunting 
outing ;  the  proceeds  of  his  efforts  he  needs  for  food 
and  so  uses  when  he  is  permitted  to  do  so.  When 
on  his  predatory  excursions  he  rather  avoids  than 
seeks  the  company  of  man.  Moreover,  if  the  instinct 
were  implanted  in  the  dog  for  man's  benefit,  no  train- 
ing would  then  be  necessary.  The  dog's  natural  ef- 
forts are  for  his  own  advantage.  In  a  domesticated 
state  he  seeks  his  prey  in  a  manner  similar  to  that  in 
which  he  seeks  it  in  his  predatory  excursions  when 
wild.  It  is  his  method  of  obtaining  a  food  supply, 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  21 

the  wherewithal  to  satisfy  the  cravings  of  hunger. 
Meat  is  his  natural  food.  He  craves  it  as  the  ox 
craves  grass  when  hungry,  each  eating  according  to 
its  nature. 

Man  does  not  care  for  the  grass  as  food  for  him- 
self, and  not  wanting  it,  he  does  not  deem  it  worth 
while  to  assert  that  the  ox  seeks  grass  instinctively 
for  the  benefit  of  man.  He  does  want  the  dog's 
choicest  prey,  therefore  it  is  quite  an  easy  matter  to 
assert  that  the  dog  chases  rabbits  and  other  game 
for  him.  Such  animals  as  he  rejects  he  credits  to 
the  dog's  own  account,  and  commends  him  as  a  great 
destroyer  and  consumer  of  vermin.  However,  as  the 
dog  is  naturally  carnivorous  and  utilizes  his  prey  for 
food,  the  facts  seem  to  indicate  that  his  seeking  in- 
stincts are  for  his  own  organic  preservation. 

The  dog  takes  a  fierce  pleasure  in  the  pursuit  and 
capture.  Over  and  above  the  obtaining  of  a  food 
supply  thereby  he  finds  a  savage  delight  in  them. 
Thus  sheep-killing  dogs  and  wolves,  when  they  at- 
tack a  flock  of  sheep,  kill  far  more  than  they  need  for 
food.  Most  dogs  will  attack  a  rat  or  rats  at  sight, 
and  never  cease  their  efforts  till  the  last  one  is  killed 
or  escapes. 


22  TRAINING   THE   HUNTING   DOG 

By  a  course  of  education,  either  direct  or  indirect, 
all  domestic  dogs  are  taught  what  animals  they  may 
kill  and  what  ones  they  may  not.  This  is  not  al- 
ways an  easy  task,  as  any  one  who  has  been  out  in 
the  country  with  some  mature,  city-bred  setters  and 
pointers  on  their  first  outing,  can  testify.  The  farm- 
er's sheep  and  poultry  then  have  cause  for  alarm. 

This  instinct  to  pursue  and  kill  is  dog  nature,  and 
moreover  it  is  good  dog  nature.  Checked  to  proper 
limitations  and  schooled  to  the  sportsman's  purposes, 
it  is  what  makes  the  dog  a  useful  servant.  He  has 
the  inclination,  intelligence  and  capabilities  for  hunt- 
ing; these  the  sportsman  applies  to  the  furtherance 
of  his  own  pleasure. 

Left  to  his  own  inclination  entirely,  the  dog  hunts 
for  himself,  but  his  passion  for  hunting  is  so  great 
that  he  will  submit  to  much  restriction  in  his  efforts 
and  great  loss  in  respect  to  what  he  captures,  before 
he  will  desist.  Yet  too  much  restriction  may  lessen 
his  ardor;  too  much  punishment  may  suppress  all 
effort. 

So  far  as  teaching  the  dog  how  to  hunt  is  con- 
cerned, the  trainer  is  in  that  relation  hardly  worth 
considering;  but  he  is  an  all-important  factor  in  giv- 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  23 

ing  the  dog  the  necessary  opportunities  to  learn. 
These  being  given,  the  manner  of  seeking,  or 
whether  he  seeks  at  all  or  not,  lies  with  the  dog. 

The  beginner  generally  falls  into  the  error  of  at- 
tempting to  train  the  dog  before  the  latter  knows 
anything  about  practical  field  work.  The  true 
method  is  to  permit  the  dog  to  seek  and  find  in  his 
own  manner,  and  then  school  his  efforts  to  the  use 
of  the  gun.  Any  efforts  directed  toward  improving 
the  dog's  natural  methods  of  hunting  are  likely  to 
end  in  failure,  or  are  likely  to  mar  them. 

If  a  dog  is  naturally  deficient  in  speed,  nose,  stam- 
ina, industry,  intelligence,  etc.,  no  trainer  can  sup- 
ply the  qualities  which  Nature  omitted.  It  is  impos- 
sible to  make  a  good  dog  out  of  a  naturally  poor  one, 
though  the  reverse  is  possible. 

In  this  connection  it  may  be  mentioned  that  a  good 
pedigree  is  not  necessarily  a  guarantee  of  a  good 
worker.  A  poor  dog  with  a  fine  pedigree  is  no  better 
than  a  poor  dog  with  no  known  pedigree  at  all.  The 
test  of  field  merit  is  the  test  of  the  individual  himself. 
The  excellence  of  an  ancestry  may  be  something  en- 
tirely apart  from  any  qualities  possessed  by  the  indi- 
vidual, or  it  may  be  possessed  in  a  greater  or  less  de- 


24  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

gree  by  him ;  it  all  is  as  it  may  happen  to  be.  The 
dog  as  a  worker  must  stand  or  fall  on  his  own  merits. 

In  character,  intelligence,  stamina,  industry,  self- 
ishness and  unselfishness,  etc.,  dogs  vary  quite  as 
much  as  men  vary,  and  there  are  no  hard  and  fast 
rules  for  the  training  of  either.  He  is  the  best  teacher 
of  man  or  dog  who  can  best  understand  the  capabili- 
ties of  his  pupil,  so  modifying  or  combining  methods 
that  they  are  presented  in  the  best  manner  to  the 
pupil's  capacity  and  the  circumstances  of  the  partic- 
ular case.  To  determine  nicely  all  these  points  re- 
quires close  observation  and  good  temper. 

The  teacher  must  always  keep  in  mind  the  two 
standpoints,  his  own  on  the  one  hand  as  a  teacher  im- 
parting knowledge,  and  on  the  other  that  of  the  dog 
whose  intellect  is  relatively  weak,  whose  ability  to  ac- 
quire ideas  is  relatively  limited,  and  whose  nature  is 
such  that  the  lessons  of  servitude  are  repugnant  to 
him.  Although  comparatively  slow  in  learning  the 
lessons  inculcated  by  his  trainer,  the  dog  is  quick  to 
learn  how  best  to  apply  his  powers  for  the  benefit  of 
his  own  needs. 

The  beginner  who  feels  his  way  carefully  along 
will  make  much  better  progress  than  he  whose  cf^ 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  2$ 

forts  are  marked  by  inconsiderate  haste.  It  is  easily 
perceived  that  if  the  trainer  does  not  endeavor  to 
understand  the  nature  and  capacity  of  his  pupil,  his 
efforts  to  teach  will  be  far  from  good. 

Let  the  amateur  consider  that  the  dog's  education 
is  properly  a  matter  of  weeks  and  months  instead  of 
a  matter  of  a  few  lessons  carefully  given  or  many 
lessons  forcefully  given ;  that  the  trainer's  haste  does 
not  in  the  least  add  to  the  dog's  ability  or  inclination 
to  learn,  and  that  a  puppy  is  an  undeveloped  creature 
which  needs  age  for  the  proper  development  of  its 
reasoning  powers. 


26  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING  DOG 

CHAPTER  II. 

INSTINCT,   REASON  AND  NATURAL  DEVELOPMENT. 

As  TENDING  to  a  better  understanding  of  dog 
nature,  consequently  as  tending  to  a  better  applica- 
tion of  the  ways  and  means  of  a  dog's  education,  a 
brief  discourse  on  the  instincts  of  pointers  and  set- 
ters, their  powers  of  reason  in  the  abstract  and  as 
applied  to  field  work,  and  the  best  manner  of  develop- 
ment from  the  sportsman's  point  of  view,  is  essential. 

To  the  average  beginner,  all  dogs  are  simply  dogs, 
and  all  dogs  are  alike,  a  natural  consequence  to  com- 
mencing as  an  educator  without  first  acquiring  any 
correct  ideas  as  to  how  dogs  learn  and  what  they 
learn. 

Indeed,  without  any  thought  of  the  matter  even 
after  he  commences  the  training  it  never  occurs  to 
him  that  the  apparent  stupidity  of  his  pupils  may  be 
an  index  of  his  own  inability  to  teach. 

A  man  may  be  ever  so  able  to  instruct  one  of  his 
own  kind,  whose  mental  capacity,  being  similar,  he 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  2/ 

understands,  and  yet  be  unable  to  instruct  a  dog, 
whose  mental  capacity  is  so  dissimilar  and  therefore 
so  misunderstood.  Let  the  trainer  carefully  note 
how  the  dog  learns ;  how  much  his  intellect  can  com- 
pass lesson  by  lesson  and  how  much  as  a  whole; 
what  to  teach  step  by  step  and  how  to  do  it,  at 
the  same  time  retaining  his  pupil's  affection  and  con- 
fidence. 

As  to  instinct,  nothing  is  more  difficult  to  define — 
in  fact,  the  definition  of  it  has  never  been  satisfac- 
torily given  by  even  the  greatest  philosophers.  Ab- 
struse speculations  concerning  it  have  been  advanced, 
but  they  are  in  that  broad  realm  of  speculation  where 
the  intangible  reigns.  No  one  can  tell  how  the  colt, 
when  its  age  is  measured  only  by  minutes,  is  impelled 
to  suckle  its  dam  and  succeeds  in  doing  so,  or  how  it 
knows  enough  to  follow  her  about,  or  how  it  recog- 
nizes and  obeys  her  voice;  or  how  young  birds  know 
how  to  build  a  nest  without  ever  having  seen  one 
built,  or  how  they  know  that  it  is  necessary  to  build 
them  at  all ;  or  how  they  have  the  migratory  impulse 
and  know  the  proper  direction  to  take  when  they  mi- 
grate, or  how  the  grub  knows  how  to  spin  an  en- 
velope around  itself,  etc.  The  manifestations  of  in- 


28  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

stinct  in  the  animal  world  are  innumerable.  Even  a 
brief  treatment  of  them  would  require  a  volume  of 
space.  The  trainer,  after  reading  it  all,  would  know 
nothing  definite  concerning  them  save  that  they  ex- 
isted and  seemed  to  be  independent  of  all  experience 
in  their  exercise. 

Those  who  care  to  further  investigate  this  subject 
will  find  much  of  interest  in  respect  to  it  in  "The  De- 
scent of  Man,"  by  Darwin;  "Animal  Intelligence," 
by  Romanes;  "The  Senses  and  the  Intellect,"  by 
Bain;  "Animal  Life  and  Intelligence,"  by  Morgan; 
"The  Principles  of  Psychology,"  by  James,  and  in 
works  of  Spencer,  Wundt,  Buchner,  Wasman, 
Hume,  Wesley  Mills  and  in  those  of  a  host  of  other 
writers,  German,  French  and  English,  all  of  whom 
most  interestingly  present  much  to  instruct  and  much 
more  to  confuse  the  reader. 

When,  however,  an  animal  consciously  performs 
an  act  as  a  means  to  an  end,  all  the  recognized  au- 
thorities agree  that  the  act  then  comes  within  the  do- 
main of  reason;  dogs  consciously  plan  and  execute 
their  plans  at  a  very  early  age,  profit  by  experience 
and  display  a  discriminating  use  of  their  acquired 
knowledge. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  29 

It  is  impossible  to  draw  a  definite  line  between 
instinct  and  reason,  but  the  two  as  a  whole  are  easily 
distinguishable.  Thus  the  natural  impulse  of  the  dog 
to  hunt  rabbits  or  birds  might  be  termed  instinctive, 
while  the  manner  in  which  he  conducts  his  pur- 
suit of  them  in  his  efforts  to  capture  is  an  act 
of  reason. 

The  dog's  physical  structure  closely  resembles  that 
of  man.  His  brain  is  somewhat  similar  in  shape  and 
material  to  man's,  and  it  relatively  serves  the  same 
purposes.  Like  man,  the  dog  gains  a  knowledge  of 
the  external  world  through  the  means  of  his  senses — 
hearing,  seeing,  tasting,  feeling  and  smelling,  the 
latter  being  the  one  most  used  ami  the  most  keenly 
developed. 

The  common,  everyday  life  of  the  dog  in  and 
about  the  home  of  man  displays  in  innumerable  ways 
a  keen  perception  of  cause  and  effect.  He  learns  to 
a  nicety  what  privileges  are  permitted  to  him,  at 
what  time  and  place  and  of  whom  he  may  expect  to 
receive  his  food,  what,  people  are  most  friendly  to 
him,  what  places  afford  the  most  comfortable  sleep- 
ing quarters  for  summer  or  winter,  what  dogs  of  the 
neighborhood  best  romp  or  hunt  to  his  liking,  etc. 


3O  TRAINING   THE   HUNTING   DOG 

All  his  acts  are  founded  on  knowledge  acquired  by 
experience.  As  instincts  are  quite  independent  of  ex- 
perience, the  distinction  is  apparent. 

All  instincts  are  much  alike  as  displayed,  one  ani- 
mal with  another.  They  may  vary  in  the  degrees  of 
intensity,  but  they  are  the  same  in  kind.  The  moth- 
er's love  for  her  offspring,  the  instinct  of  self-preser- 
vation, etc.,  are  manifested  much  alike  by  every  in- 
dividual. On  the  other  hand,  acts  of  reason  vary 
greatly  in  their  manifestations  concerning  the  same 
object.  For  instance,  out  of  several  methods  by 
which  a  purpose  may  be  accomplished,  as  in  the  pur- 
suit of  a  rabbit,  some  dogs  adopt  one  method,  some 
another,  according  to  the  governing  circumstances 
at  the  time,  such  as  the  dog's  knowledge  of  methods 
derived  from  prior  experience ;  his  ability  to  discrim- 
inate as  to  methods ;  his  ability  as  to  bodily  powers — 
that  is,  whether  he  has  sufficient  speed  to  rush  and 
capture  at  once,  or,  being  slow,  whether  to  make  a 
long  race  on  the  basis  of  endurance,  etc.  The  same 
dog,  indeed,  not  infrequently  employs  different 
methods  at  different  times  to  accomplish  the  same 
purpose,  accordingly  as  experience  improves  his 
knowledge  or  maturity  improves  his  intellect,  or  as 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  3! 

different  circumstances  govern,  such  as  whether  he 
is  working  alone  or  as  one  of  a  pack,  etc. 

Instinct  holds  relatively  as  small  part  in  the  life  of 
the  dog  as  it  does  in  the  life  of  a  man.  Dogs  inherit 
the  instinct  of  self-preservation,  the  maternal  and 
paternal  instinct  and  the  instinct  to  seek  a  food  sup- 
ply, etc.,  but  in  the  activities  of  life,  in  choosing 
means  to  ends,  their  intelligence  holds  full  sway. 

The  dog's  knowledge  is  a  growth.  Whether  he  is 
wild  or  domesticated,  he  has  much  training  of  mind 
and  body  to  undergo  before  he  fits  into  his  environ- 
ment to  the  best  advantage  to  himself.  If  in  a  wild 
state,  he  must  learn  all  the  wiles  of  pursuit,  of  at- 
tack and  defense,  both  as  an  individual  and  as  one 
of  a  pack.  In  a  domesticated  state  he  intelligently 
fits  himself  to  his  environment  by  following  the  lines 
of  least  resistance.  Cuffed  for  jumping  on  the  bed, 
driven  from  the  parlor  with  a  broomstick,  scolded 
for  barking  in  the  house  or  thrashed  for  an  attempt 
to  steal  food  from  the  table,  etc.,  he  avoids  the  ex- 
periences which  are  painful  and  makes  the  most  of 
such  privileges  as  are  pleasant  and  allowed  to  him. 

In  time,  as  experience  directs,  his  manner  of  life 
becomes  his  habit  of  life.  He  ceases  to  have  a  long- 


32  TRAINING    THE    HUNTING   DOG 

ing  for  the  comforts  of  the  parlor  and  forbears  steal- 
ing food  unless  he  has  a  safe  opportunity. 

The  moral  nature  of  the  dog  never  reaches  to  a 
height  which  commands  much  confidence.  He  is 
naturally  a  predatory  animal,  and  his  marauding  in- 
stincts, though  reasonably  dormant  in  his  own  home, 
are  quickly  brought  into  activity  on  outside  oppor- 
tunity. In  the  home  of  his  master's  friend,  where 
he  is  for  the  first  time,  he  most  brazenly  searches 
every  nook  and  corner,  disregards  his  home  manners 
and  does  not  hesitate  to  appropriate  to  his  own  use 
any  food  he  may  find.  According  to  his  point  of 
view  he  is  doing  no  wrong.  Such  is  his  nature. 

In  time,  with  more  thumpings  and  more  painful 
experience,  he  learns  that  the  rules  in  force  at  his 
own  home  are  also  the  rules  to  be  observed  when 
he  is  in  other  homes,  and  he  governs  himself  accord- 
ingly. However,  he  easily  drifts  into  vagabond 
habits  if  opportunity  offers,  such  as  sneaking  off  into 
the  fields  and  woods  on  self-hunting  trips,  associat- 
ing with  vagabond  dogs,  etc.,  and  at  such  times  he 
will  indulge  in  many  freaks  and  fancies  of  which  he 
would  not  be  guilty  if  under  the  eye  of  his  master. 

He  has  a  profound  affection  for  his  master,  but 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  33 

that  does  not  in  the  least  signify  that  he  loses  any  of 
his  own  individuality  or  interest  in  his  own  manner 
of  life. 

On  the  matter  of  his  affection,  by  the  way,  he  has 
been  lauded  to  heights,  on  the  one  hand  quite  as  un- 
warranted as  he  has  been  depreciated  on  the  other  in 
the  matter  of  intelligence.  Dogs  love  their  masters, 
it  is  true,  but  not  as  a  rule  with  the  loyalty  and  devo- 
tion so  dear  to  sentimental  writers  as  a  theme  when 
elaborating  on  the  nobility  which  dogs  possess. 

The  average  dog,  however  much  he  may  exhibit 
affection  for  his  master  to-day,  will  be  quite  content 
to  take  up  with  a  new  one  to-morrow.  A  few  ap- 
petizing morsels  of  food  are  sufficient  to  excite  his 
interest,  a  few  pats  on  the  head  evoke  his  friendship, 
and  a  few  repetitions  of  friendly  attention  wrin  his 
affection.  Some  dogs  have  a  more  consistent  devo- 
tion than  others ;  some  are  brave  and  will  fight  for 
their  masters  as  they  will  fight  for  each  other ;  some 
will  run  from  danger,  regardless  of  whom  it  may 
threaten,  and  in  all  this  they  resemble  some  men. 

The  dog,  being  gregarious,  has  a  natural  repug- 
nance to  loneliness.  In  a  wild  state,  he  lives  in  packs 
with  his  fellows,  and  observes  much  the  same  watch- 


34  TRAINING   THK    HUNTING    DOG 

fulness  and  devotion  to  the  common  good  that  he 
does  toward  his  home  in  domestication. 

The  wild  instinct  of  friendly  alliance  is  expressed 
in  domestication.  He  forms  an  attachment  for  his 
master  and  the  members  of  his  master's  family.  He 
may,  however,  form  a  more  friendly  attachment  for 
a  horse.  He  concedes  the  domination  of  his  master, 
but  he  concedes  the  same  to  the  leader  of  the  pack  in 
a  wild  state. 

The  dog  in  domestication  soon  learns  to  consider 
his  master's  home  as  his  own.  If  he  prowls  away 
from  home,  seeking  to  investigate  other  homes,  the 
dogs  of  the  latter  consider  that  their  homes  are  in- 
vaded, and  they  bark  furious  resentment,  or  per- 
chance fight  and  give  the  intruder  a  sound  mauling. 
The  strange  youths  throw  rocks  at  or  maltreat  him 
if  they  can  lay  hands  on  him.  Thus  he  learns  that 
his  own  home  is  the  most  pleasant  to  him.  He  does 
not  know  of  any  other  home,  so  that  accepting  the 
best  home  of  which  he  has  any  knowledge  is  not  a 
matter  deserving  of  any  special  eulogy. 

Some  writers  have  not  hesitated  to  exalt  the  dog 
as  being,  in  many  noble  characteristics,  superior  to 
man.  His  devotion,  fidelity  and  unselfishness  are 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  3$ 

favorite  themes.  Nevertheless,  on  analysis,  all  these 
qualities,  as  exhibited  by  the  dog,  are  found  to  be  far 
short  of  the  ideal  perfection  ascribed  to  him.  The 
man  who  first  said  "The  more  I  see  of  men  the  better 
I  like  dogs"  could  hardly  have  been  serious,  or,  if  he 
was  serious,  he  knew  neither  men  nor  dogs  pro- 
foundly, assuming  that  he  had  a  normal  mind.  The 
dog  as  we  find  him  is  companionable  and  devoted 
enough.  Man,  nevertheless,  could  lose  the  compan- 
ionship of  the  dog  much  better  than  the  dog  could 
that  of  man.  In  material  advantages  he  is  a  gainer 
by  his  association  with  man. 

On  the  question  of  animal  intelligence,  the  eminent 
philosopher,  Dr.  Ludwig  Buchner,  in  his  work, 
"Man  in  the  Past,  Present  and  Future,"  sets  forth 
that,  "Indeed,  it  is  sufficiently  well  known  that  the 
intellectual  life  of  animals  has  hitherto  been  greatly 
underestimated  or  falsely  interpreted,  simply  because 
our  closet  philosophers  always  started,  not  from  an 
impartial  and  unprejudiced  observation  and  appre- 
ciation of  Nature,  but  from  philosophical  theories  in 
which  the  true  position,  both  of  man  and  animals, 
was  entirely  misunderstood.  But  as  soon  as  we  be- 
gan to  strike  into  a  new  path,  it  was  seen  that,  intel- 


36  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

lectuaily,  morally  and  artistically,  the  animal  must 
be  placed  in  a  far  higher  position  than  was  formerly 
supposed,  and  that  the  germs  and  first  rudiments 
even  of  the  highest  intellectual  faculties  of  man  are 
existent  and  easily  demonstrable  in  much  lower  re- 
gions. The  pre-eminence  of  man  over  the  animal 
is  therefore  rather  relative  than  absolute — that  is  to 
say,  it  consists  in  the  greater  perfection  and  more 
advantageous  development  of  those  characteristics 
which  he  possesses  in  common  with  animals,  all  the 
faculties  of  man  being  as  it  were  prophetically  fore- 
shadowed in  the  animal  world,  but  in  man  more 
highly  developed  by  natural  selection.  On  closer  con- 
sideration, all  the  supposed  specific  distinctive  char- 
acters between  man  and  animals  fall  away,  and  even 
those  attributes  of  humanity  which  are  regarded  as 
most  characteristic,  such  as  the  intellectual  and  moral 
qualities,  the  upright  gait,  and  free  use  of  the  hands, 
the  human  physiognomy  and  articulate  language, 
social  existence  and  religious  feeling,  etc.,  lose  their 
value  or  become  merely  relative  as  soon  as  we  have 
recourse  to  a  thoroughgoing  comparison  founded  on 
facts.  In  this,  however,  we  must  not,  as  is  usual, 
confine  our  attention  to  the  most  highly  cultivated 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  3/ 

Europeans,  but  must  also  take  into  the  account  those 
types  of  man  which  approach  most  nearly  to  the 
animals  and  which  have  had  no  opportunity  of  rais- 
ing themselves  from  the  rude,  primitive,  natural  state 
to  the  grade  of  the  civilized  man.  In  such  a  study  as 
this,  just  as  in  the  investigation  of  the  animal  mind, 
we  at  once  arrive  at  the  knowledge  of  quite  different 
things  from  what  the  closet  philosophers  in  their 
pretentious  but  hollow  wisdom  have  hitherto  endeav- 
ored to  make  us  believe,  and  we  ascertain  immediate- 
ly that  the  human  being  in  his  deepest  degradation  or 
in  his  rudest  primitive  state  approaches  the  animal 
world  so  closely  that  we  involuntarily  ask  ourselves 
where  the  true  boundary  line  is  to  be  drawn.  Who- 
ever wishes  to  form  a  judgment  as  to  the  true  nature 
of  man  or  his  true  position  in  Nature  must  not, 
as  our  philosophers  and  soi  disant  'great  thinkers' 
usually  do,  leave  out  of  consideration  the  primeval 
origin  and  developmental  history  of  man,  and  look- 
ing merely  at  his  own  little  self  in  the  delusive  mirror 
of  self-esteem,  abstract  therefrom  a  pitiable  portrait 
of  a  man  after  the  philosophical  pattern.  He  must, 
on  the  contrary,  grasp  at  Nature  itself  with  both 
hands  and  draw  his  knowledge  from  the  innumerable 


38  TRAINING    THE    HUNTING   DOG 

springs  which  flow  here  in  the  richest  abundance." 
Commenting  further  in  this  connection,  he  writes: 
"The  second  volume  of  his  (Buchner's)  'Physiolog- 
ical Pictures'  will  also  contain  an  essay  upon  the 
mind  of  animals.  In  this  essay  it  will  be  shown  by 
numerous  well-authenticated  examples  and  facts  that 
the  intellectual  activities,  faculties,  feelings  and  ten- 
dencies of  man  are  foreshadowed  in  an  almost  incred- 
ible degree  in  the  animal  mind.  Love,  fidelity,  grati- 
tude, sense  of  duty,  religious  feeling,  friendship,  con- 
scientiousness and  the  highest  self-sacrifice,  pity  and 
the  sense  of  justice  and  injustice,  as  also  pride,  jeal- 
ousy, hatred,  malice,  cunning  and  desire  of  revenge, 
are  known  to  the  animal,  as  well  as  reflection,  pru- 
dence, the  highest  craft,  precaution,  care  for  the  fu- 
ture, etc. — nay,  even  gormandizing,  which  is  usually 
ascribed  to  man  exclusively,  exerts  sway  also  over 
the  animal.  Animals  know  and  practice  the  funda- 
mental law  and  arrangements  of  the  State  and  of 
society,  of  slavery  and  caste,  of  domestic  economy, 
education  and  sick  nursing ;  they  make  the  most  won- 
derful structures  in  the  way  of  houses,  caves,  nests, 
paths  and  dams ;  they  hold  assemblies  and  public  de- 
liberations and  even  courts  of  justice  upon  offenders ; 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  39 

and  by  means  of  a  complicated  language  of  sounds, 
signs  and  gestures  they  are  able  to  concert  their  mu- 
tual action  in  the  most  accurate  manner.  In  short, 
the  majority  of  mankind  have  no  knowledge  or  even 
suspicion  what  sort  of  creature  an  animal  is." 

Darwin,  in  his  great  work,  the  "Descent  of  Man," 
has  a  paragraph  in  the  chapter  "On  the  Affinities  and 
Genealogy  of  Man"  whose  import  is  specially  to  the 
point.  He  remarks :  "Some  naturalists,  from  being 
deeply  impressed  with  the  mental  and  spiritual  pow- 
ers of  man,  have  divided  the  whole  organic  world 
into  three  kingdoms — the  human,  the  animal  and  the 
vegetable — thus  giving  to  man  a  separate  kingdom. 
Spiritual  powers  cannot  be  compared  or  classed  by 
the  naturalist,  but  he  may  endeavor  to  show,  as  I 
have  done,  that  the  mental  faculties  of  man  and  the 
lower  animals  do  not  differ  in  kind,  although  im- 
mensely in  degree.  A  difference  in  degree,  however 
great,  does  not  justify  us  in  placing  man  in  a  distinct 
kingdom,  as  will  perhaps  be  best  illustrated  by  com- 
paring the  mental  powers  of  two  insects,  namely,  a 
coccus  or  scale  insect  and  an  ant,  which  undoubtedly 
belong  to  the  same  class.  The  difference  is  here 
greater  than,  though  of  a  somewhat  different  kind 


4-O  TRAINING  THE    HUNTING   DOG 

from,  that  between  man  and  the  highest  mammal. 
The  female  coccus,  while  young,  attaches  itself  by  its 
proboscis  to  a  plant,  sucks  the  sap,  but  never  moves 
again,  is  fertilized  and  lays  eggs,  and  this  is  its  whole 
history.  On  the  other  hand,  to  describe  the  habits 
and  mental  powers  of  the  worker-ants  would  require, 
as  Pierre  Huber  has  shown,  a  large  volume.  I  may, 
however,  briefly  specify  a  few  points.  Ants  certainly 
communicate  information  to  each  other  and  several 
unite  for  the  same  work  or  for  games  of  play.  They 
recognize  their  fellow  ants  after  months  of  absence 
and  feel  sympathy  for  each  other.  They  build  great 
edifices,  keep  them  clean,  close  the  doors  in  the  even- 
ing and  post  sentries.  They  make  roads  as  well  as 
tunnels  under  rivers,  and  temporary  bridges  over 
them  by  clinging  together.  They  collect  food  for 
the  community,  and  when  an  object  too  large  for  en- 
trance is  brought  to  the  nest  they  enlarge  the  door 
and  afterward  build  it  up  again.  They  store  up  seeds 
of  which  they  prevent  the  germination  and  which,  if 
damp,  are  brought  up  to  the  surface  to  dry.  They 
keep  aphides  and  other  insects  as  milch  cows.  They 
go  out  to  battle  in  regular  bands  and  freely  sacrifice 
their  lives  for  the  common  weal.  They  emigrate  ac- 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  4! 

cording  to  a  preconcerted  plan.  They  capture  slaves. 
They  move  the  eggs  of  their  aphides,  as  well  as  their 
own  eggs  and  cocoons,  into  warm  parts  of  the  nest, 
in  order  that  they  may  be  quickly  hatched,  and  end- 
less similar  facts  could  be  given.  On  the  whole,  the 
difference  between  the  mental  powers  of  an  ant  and  a 
coccus  is  immense ;  yet  no  one  has  ever  dreamed  of 
placing  these  insects  in  distinct  classes,  much  less  in 
distinct  kingdoms.  No  doubt  the  difference  is 
bridged  over  by  other  insects;  and  this  is  not  the 
case  with  man  and  the  higher  apes.  But  we  have 
every  reason  to  believe  that  the  breaks  in  the  series 
are  simply  the  result  of  many  forms  having  become 
extinct." 

These  extracts,  given  for  the  reader's  considera- 
tion, present  the  convictions  of  men  who  have  made 
this  and  related  subjects  a  lifelong  study,  whose 
opportunities  for  acquiring  information  were  rela- 
tively unlimited  and  whose  mental  equipment  fitted 
peculiarly  well  to  the  exactions  of  their  chosen  field 
of  research,  all  of  which  qualified  them  for  the  mak- 
ing of  sound  conclusions. 

There  is  a  comprehensive  literature  on  this  sub- 
ject, extremely  interesting  in  itself.  It  is  only  in- 


42  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING  DOG 

cidentally  related  to  the  subject  of  training,  yet  it  is 
worthy  the  attention  of  him  who  earnestly  seeks  a 
broad  knowledge  of  it.  Before  making  pertinent 
investigation  on  either  subject,  it  is  not  difficult  to 
believe  that  the  dog  acts  wholly  by  instinct  and  that 
the  world  is  flat;  after  unprejudiced  investigation  it 
is  impossible  to  believe  either. 

Considered  as  a  being,  physically  and  mentally,  the 
dog  develops  much  after  the  manner  of  man,  but 
with  restrictions  imposed  by  Nature  and  by  man 
which  force  him  to  recognize  his  inferiority  and  de- 
pendence through  life. 

Superior  force  is  a  quantity  in  life  to  which  all 
must  yield.  Men  feel  its  mandates;  even  nations 
must  bow  to  it.  As  between  man  and  dog,  the 
latter  from  puppyhood  is  taught  submission  and  de- 
pendence. There  is  sufficient  force  at  every  point  to 
repel  all  attempts  which  are  obnoxious  to  man,  his 
master.  He  recognizes  this  from  an  early  age  and 
grows  into  doghood  with  a  full  acceptance  of  it.  The 
exceptional  dog,  which  betimes  has  the  idea  that  he 
has  force  enough  to  meet  force,  generally  goes  vio- 
lently into  the  bourne  provided  for  bad  dogs,  whence 
they  never  return.  Heredity  tends  to  the  perpetua- 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  43 

tion  of  the  dogs  which  are  most  submissive.  The 
destruction  of  dogs  which  are  of  a  bad  or  unsuitable 
temper  weeds  out  the  most  savage,  and  insures  the 
perpetuation  of  those  which  most  amiably  accept  the 
place  in  domestication  assigned  to  them  by  man. 
Thus,  they  grow  up  deferential  by  habit,  dependent 
from  inferiority,  and  gregarious  by  nature. 

The  life  of  the  dog  is  relatively  short.  At  ten 
years  he  is  in  old  age.  Few  dogs  live  so  long;  still 
fewer  live  much  longer. 

In  the  first  year  of  the  dog's  life  he  goes  through 
the  same  relative  course  of  development  that  the  boy 
goes  through  in  the  first  dozen  years  of  his  life. 

For  a  time  the  puppy  is  entirely  helpless  and  de- 
pendent. Gradually  strength  comes,  and  he  moves 
about  without  any  exhibition  of  intelligence.  As 
the  brain  develops,  the  mind  begins  to  act,  and  he 
shows  signs  of  ideas.  Soon  play  engrosses  his  atten- 
tion, and  this  phenomenon  of  his  life,  although  by 
the  average  man  considered  frivolous  and  undesir- 
able, is  essentially  useful. 

It  is  better  to  let  him  develop  in  his  own  manner 
till  he  is  a  year  old  before  the  serious  attempt  at 
training  is  made.  Give  him  unlimited  opportunity 


44  TRAINING    THE   HUNTING  DOG 

to  learn  by  taking  him  frequently  into  the  woods  and 
fields,  and  permitting  him  to  range  and  seek  and 
chase  in  his  own  manner. 

The  period  of  youth  is  a  period  of  development. 
Nature  utilizes  it  in  the  most  beneficent  and  proper 
manner.  It  is  the  preparatory  stage  for  the  tasks  of 
mature  life.  Therefore,  until  the  mind  and  body 
have  been  developed  in  their  powers  according  to 
Nature's  laws,  the  puppy  is  not  old  enough  to  at- 
tempt his  education. 

Puppies  play  furiously  with  each  other  till  they  are 
exhausted  by  fatigue.  After  a  short  rest  they  may 
resume  their  frolics  with  unabated  ardor.  They 
simulate  a  close  imitation  of  pursuit  and  escape,  of 
cunning  attack  and  crafty  evasion,  or  of  ambush  or 
battle,  dog  against  dog,  seizing,  wrestling  and  strug- 
gling in  play  as  they  do  in  actual  fight,  with  the 
difference,  however,  that  they  use  their  teeth  in  a 
"make-believe"  way,  and  do  not  intentionally  hurt 
each  other.  At  times  the  sham  battle  may  develop 
into  a  real  one,  and  then  there  is  but  little  difference 
in  the  struggle  save  that  teeth  are  used  in  earnest. 

This  exercise  develops  the  dog's  muscles,  his  power 
of  actively  using  his  bodily  capabilities  and  his 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  4j 

mental  qualities,  and  he  therefrom  acquires  a  knowl- 
edge of  his  own  forces  and  limitations.  If  he  has  no 
companion  of  his  own  kind,  he  goes  through  much 
the  same  fierce  training  with  an  old  shoe  or  other 
object,  which  he  tosses  about,  shaking  and  rending 
it,  while  following  the  instincts  of  his  nature  in  the 
evolution  as  an  organism,  though  only  feeling  that 
he  is  having  a  glorious  diversion. 

All  these  experiences  are  of  infinite  value  to  him 
by  way  of  experimentation. 

The  knowledge  acquired  in  rending,  tearing,  lift- 
ing, dodging,  ambushing  and  in  developing  strong 
muscular  activity,  etc.,  is  essential  to  him  in  his  ma- 
ture life,  either  in  his  wild  or  domesticated  state.  In 
a  wild  state  it  is  indispensable  to  his  existence ;  in  a 
domesticated  state  serviceable  as  a  means  of  attack 
and  self-defense  to  him.  His  curiosity  is  also  a  fac- 
tor in  his  development.  It  leads  him  to  unlimited 
investigation,  and  thereby  his  nose  acquires  a  func- 
tional power  of  discrimination  which  is  specially  ser- 
viceable to  him. 

Repress  what  may  be  wrong,  such  as  the  chasing 
of  poultry  and  sheep,  etc.,  but  leave  him  to  his  unin- 
terrupted pleasure  otherwise.  He  learns  the  practical 


46  TRAINING    THE    PIUNTING  DOG 

parts  of  life  from  his  own  experience,  and  by  observ- 
ing the  doings  of  his  fellows,  but  he  learns  only  from 
opportunity. 

Dogs  are  imitative.  They  readily  learn  by  ob- 
serving the  doings  of  older,  wiser  and  more  experi- 
enced dogs.  They  have  a  limited  language  by  which 
they  can  convey  certain  ideas,  and  they  interpret 
quite  intelligently  the  significance  of  certain  actions 
of  each  other  and  of  their  masters. 

With  a  purpose  to  give  the  reader  some  ideas  on 
this  point,  as  well  as  to  evoke  more  serious  thought 
in  respect  to  it,  the  following  frDm  "The  Descent  of 
Man,"  by  Darwin,  is  presented.  Treating  of  lan- 
guage, he  remarks :  "This  faculty  has  justly  been 
considered  as  one  of  the  chief  distinctions  between 
man  and  the  lower  animals.  But  man,  as  a  highly 
competent  judge,  Archbishop  Whately  remarks,  'is 
not  the  only  animal  that  can  make  use  of  language  to 
express  what  is  passing  in  his  mind,  and  can  under- 
stand more  or  less  what  is  so  expressed  by  another.' 
In  Paraguay  the  Cebus  azara,  when  excited,  utters  at 
least  six  distinct  sounds,  which  excite  in  other 
monkeys  similar  emotions.  The  movements  of  the 
features  and  the  gestures  of  monkeys  are  understood 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  47 

by  us,  and  they  partly  understand  ours,  as  Rengger 
and  others  declare.  It  is  a  most  remarkable  fact  that 
the  dog,  since  being  domesticated,  has  learned  to 
bark  in  at  least  four  or  five  distinct  tones.  Although 
barking  is  a  new  art,  no  doubt  the  wild  parent  species 
of  the  dog  expressed  their  feelings  by  cries  of  various 
kinds.  With  the  domesticated  dog,  we  have  the 
bark  of  eagerness,  as  in  the  chase ;  that  of  anger  as 
well  as  growling;  the  yelp  or  howl  of  despair,  as 
when  shut  up ;  the  baying  at  night ;  the  bark  of  joy, 
as  when  starting  on  a  walk  with  his  master,  and  the 
very  distinct  one  of  demand  or  supplication,  as  when 
wishing  for  a  door  or  window  to  be  opened.  Accord- 
ing to  Houzeau,  who  paid  particular  attention  to  the 
subject,  the  domestic  fowl  utters  at  least  a  dozen  sig- 
nificant sounds. 

"The  habitual  use  of  articulate  language  is,  how- 
ever, peculiar  to  man;  but  he  uses  in  common  with 
the  lower  animals  inarticulate  cries  to  express  his 
meaning,  aided  by  gestures  and  the  movement  of  the 
muscles  of  the  face.  This  specially  holds  good  with 
the  more  simple  and  vivid  feelings,  which  are  but 
little  connected  with  our  higher  intelligence.  Our 
cries  of  pain,  fear,  surprise,  anger,  together  with  their 


48  TRAINING    THE   HUNTING  DOG 

appropriate  actions,  as  the  murmur  of  a  mother  to 
her  beloved  child,  are  more  expressive  than  any 
words.  That  which  distinguishes  man  from  the 
lower  animals  is  not  the  understanding  of  articulate 
sounds,  for,  as  every  one  knows,  dogs  understand 
many  words  and  sentences.  In  this  respect  they  are 
in  the  same  stage  of  development  as  infants  between 
the  ages  of  ten  and  twelve  months,  who  understand 
many,  words  and  short  sentences,  but  yet  cannot  utter 
a  single  word.  It  is  not  the  mere  articulation  which' 
is  our  distinguishing  character,  for  parrots  and  other 
birds  possess  this  power.  Nor  is  it  the  mere  capacity 
of  connecting  definite  sounds  with  definite  ideas,  for 
it  is  certain  that  some  parrots  which  have  been  taught 
to  speak,  connect  unerringly  words  with  things  and 
persons  with  events.  The  lower  animals  differ  from 
man  solely  in  his  almost  infinitely  larger  power  of 
associating  together  the  most  diversified  sounds  and 
ideas,  and  this  obviously  depends  on  the  high  de- 
velopment of  his  mental  powers." 

In  reference  to  this  subject,  besides  giving  his  own 
views  at  greater  length,  he  quotes  from  a  number  of 
authorities,  who  contribute  valuable  information, 
and  who  concur  in  their  opinions. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  49 

But,  as  remarked  hereinbefore,  so  far  as  the  train- 
ing of  the  dog  for  field  work  is  concerned,  no  ideas 
can  be  communicated  to  him  by  means  of  speech. 
Such  things  as  are  useful  to  him  in  the  struggles  of 
life  he  learns  readily,  and  such  as  are  useful  to  his 
master  he  is  taught  with  difficulty. 

In  his  place  in  domestic  life  he  learns  the  signifi- 
cance of  what  affects  his  own  comfort  or  interests. 
He  learns  to  interpret  correctly  his  master's  frown  or 
smile,  and  learns  to  know  by  the  tone  of  his  voice 
whether  he  is  pleased  or  displeased.  His  watchful- 
ness, so  much  and  so  thoughtlessly  lauded  as  the  ex- 
pression of  his  devotion  to  man,  is  merely  the  in- 
stinctive watchfulness  necessary  to  his  safety  in  a 
wild  state,  and  is  a  characteristic  which  he  would  ex- 
ercise quite  as  readily  for  his  own  kind  and  the 
preservation  of  his  lair  as  he  would  for  the  benefit  of 
man.  When  he  barks  at  strange  dogs  or  gives  warn- 
ing at  night  of  the  approach  of  strangers  it  should 
not  be  overlooked  that  he  considers  his  own  home  is 
disturbed,  though  it  also  may  be  the  home  of  his 
master.  Much  depends  on  the  point  of  view. 

It  may  be  remarked  further  that  on  the  one  hand 
while  the  intelligence  of  the  dog  has  been  grossly 


50  TRAINING    THE    HUNTING   DOG 

underrated  by  superficial  observers,  it  has  been  on 
the  other  hand  quite  as  unreasonably  exaggerated  by 
enthusiastic  admirers.  The  dog  is  not  more  intelli- 
gent than  are  many  other  kinds  of  animals,  and  is 
inferior  in  this  respect  ID  some  of  them.  He  is  not 
to  be  compared  to  man  in  this  matter.  Indeed,  in- 
telligence in  the  dog  equal  to  that  possessed  by  man 
would  be  a  most  grievous  calamity  to  him.  His  in- 
telligence, however,  is  of  a  high  order.  It  is  quite 
equal  to  the  demands  of  his  nature,  and  to  his  posi- 
tion in  the  scale  of  organic  being. 

There  are  writers  who  urge  still  greater  claims 
for  the  dog  than  the  claim  of  high  intelligence.  They 
maintain  that  dogs  possess  souls  and  therefore  have 
eternal  life,  but  that  speculation  is  not  pertinent  to 
the  best  methods  of  training,  and  therefore  not  perti- 
nent to  this  work. 

His  reasoning  powers  are  quite  acute  on  such  mat- 
ters as  come  within  his  immediate  observation.  A 
few  of  many  common  acts  will  be  mentioned.  Some 
hounds,  after  repeated  chases  of  a  fox  over  the  same 
course,  will,  in  some  later  chase,  lie  concealed  at  a 
point  which  will  intercept  him  as  the  other  hounds  in 
pursuit  drive  him  by.  Greyhounds  soon  learn  to 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  51 

<(run  cunning."  Setters  and  pointers  sometimes  learn 
to  leave  the  trail  of  an  old  cock  running  down  wind, 
circling  around  him  till  they  head  him  ofj  and  stop 
his  running,  and  pointing  him  then  accurately.  All 
this  is  reasoning  by  the  dog  over  concrete  subjects 
within  his  immediate  observation.  If  an  attempt 
were  made  to  teach  him  that  x  represented  an  un- 
known quantity,  his  mind  could  not  grasp  the  ab- 
stract idea,  and  failure  would  result.  Primitive  man 
displays  but  little  more  intelligence.  Such  as  it  is 
and  so  far  as  it  goes,  it  is  the  same  in  kind  as  the 
intelligence  displayed  by  the  dog.  In  either  case  a 
vast  store  of  knowledge  pertaining  to  the  ways  and 
means  of  practical  living  is  necessary  in  the  struggle 
for  existence. 

As  to  his  best  development,  it  must  be  in  accord- 
ance with  his  own  nature.  He  must  have  all  the 
liberty  which  can  be  consistently  given  to  him,  to  the 
end  that  his  bodily  and  mental  powers  be  developed 
to  their  best  limits.  He  must  be  treated  kindly,  so 
that  his  attachment  to  his  master  will  be  deep  and 
lasting;  that  is  to  say,  associating  with  his  master 
and  hunting  with  him  as  a  companion  confer  one 
of  the  highest  degrees  of  pleasure  of  which  he  has 


52  TRAINING    THE    HUNTING   DOG 

any  knowledge.  It  should  be  made  to  him  a  source 
of  constant  delight. 

Play  with  his  fellows,  chasing  butterflies  and  little 
birds,  crude  attempts  at  chasing  rabbits,  galloping 
over  the  fields  in  the  wantonness  of  surplus  energy 
and  ecstatic  spirits,  and  gratifying  his  curiosity  as 
to  the  meaning  of  things,  etc.,  are  quite  serious 
enough  by  way  of  occupation  during  the  months  of 
his  puppyhood. 

Many  amateurs  proceed  on  the  theory  that  if  left 
to  himself  the  puppy  will  learn  many  things  that  are 
wrong,  that  from  the  beginning  he  must  be  under 
constant  supervision,  and  that  therefore  his  develop- 
ment must  be  in  accord  with  certain  finished  educa- 
tional standards  useful  to  the  gun.  No  theory  could 
be  more  fallacious.  The  true  practice,  it  may  be  re- 
iterated, is  to  permit  the  dog  to  develop  in  his  own 
natural  manner,  and  then  so  train  him  that  his  efforts 
are  made  subservient  to  the  purposes  of  the  gun. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  53 

CHAPTER  III. 

NATURAL   QUALITIES   AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

THE  natural  instincts  of  the  dog  and  his  manner 
of  seeking  prey  are  by  the  sportsman  termed  natural 
qualities.  The  term  is  used  more  in  connection  with 
field  trial  competition,  to  distinguish  between  what 
is  natural  and  what  is  educational. 

Like  other  members  of  the  carnivorous  family,  to 
which  he  belongs,  the  dog  is  a  meat  eater.  In  secur- 
ing a  food  supply,  he  naturally  takes  to  the  pursuit 
of  other  animals  which  are  his  prey.  His  teeth  are 
large,  strong  and  sharp,  are  set  in  correspondingly 
heavy,  muscular  jaws,  and  his  digestive  organs  also 
denote  that  he  belongs  to  the  carnivora.  He  pos- 
sesses extraordinary  fleetness  of  foot,  bodily  activity, 
courage,  great  powers  of  endurance,  keen  and  dis- 
criminating functional  powers  of  nose  and  a  high 
degree  of  intelligence  in  his  sphere  of  .life,  all  of 
which  are  essential  to  his  existence  in  a  wild  state, 
and  in  domestication  are  highly  prized  by  man. 


54  TRAINING   THE   HUNTING   DOG 

Without  a  high  degree  of  intelligence,  the  posses- 
sion of  his  destructive  bodily  powers  would  be  of  lit- 
tle value  to  him.  They  would  be  worthless  if  he  were 
brainless. 

Intelligence  and  knowledge  are  essential  to  the 
dog,  both  in  respect  to  attack  and  defense.  His  every 
act  denotes  that  he  has  the  intelligence  and  capacity 
to  acquire  such  knowledge  as  he  needs.  He  plans 
craftily  and  executes  according  to  his  plans,  or 
changes  them  to  conform  to  varying  circumstances. 
His  acts  are  marked  by  great  courage  and  dash  when 
in  pursuit  and  attack,  and  by  great  prudence  and  ac- 
tivity when  in  flight  from  danger.  He  possesses  a 
certain  sagacity  in  recognizing  a  superior  force,  and 
in  refraining  from  the  attack  when  the  disadvantages 
are  too  great  for  probable  success. 

Singly,  he  does  not  hesitate  to  attack  smaller  ani- 
mals than  himself;  larger  animals  he  prefers  to  at- 
tack with  the  aid  of  his  fellows — that  is  to  say,  as  a 
pack.  A  brief  experience  suffices  to  teach  him 
which  are  the  most  vital  parts  of  the  animals  he 
pursues  as  prey,  and  he  inflicts  injury  on  them 
accordingly. 

Different  dogs  employ  different  methods  of  attack, 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  55 

according  to  their  powers ;  for  instance,  a  large  dog, 
battling  with  a  woodchuck  or  other  small  animal, 
rushes  in,  catches  it  in  the  middle  of  the  back,  crushes 
in  its  spine  and  ribs,  paralyzing  and  killing  it  quickly. 
Not  possessing  the  power  to  kill  in  such  a  summary 
manner,  the  small  dog  seizes  by  the  throat,  shakes 
the  woodchuck  till  it  is  dazed  and  unconscious,  and 
holds  on  till  he  slowly  kills  it.  If  he  is  not  strong 
enough  to  shake  it,  he  holds  it  fast  by  the  throat, 
thereby  insuring  the  least  possible  injury  to  himself 
while  inflicting  the  greatest  possible  injury  on  his 
prey,  as  this  hold  simultaneously  attacks  the  jugular, 
the  windpipe,  many  important  nerves,  etc.  The  fact 
that  dogs  employ  so  many  different  methods  is  alone 
sufficient  to  prove  that  they  possess  reasoning 
powers. 

Dogs,  fighting  in  packs,  perform  at  their  best  in 
securing  their  prey.  Two  dogs,  fighting  conjointly, 
making  common  cause  against  an  animal,  are  rela- 
tively far  more  destructive  than  they  are  fighting 
singly,  for  while  one  engages  the  enemy  in  front  the 
other  has  a  comparatively  unhindered  opportunity  to 
bite  and  maim  the  rear.  Several  dogs  in  a  pack 
therefore  are  exceedingly  formidable  when  battling 


56  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING  DOG 

against  other  animals.  They  time  and  direct  their 
efforts  most  intelligently  in  support  and  in  defense 
of  each  other. 

In  the  concerted  action  of  all  in  the  attack  on  a 
large  animal,  each  may  perform  quite  a  distinct  part, 
yet  all  their  efforts  are  directed  to  the  attainment  of 
the  same  end.  Some  may  engage  the  animal  in  a 
sham  attack  in  front  while  others,  behind,  hamstring 
it,  or  tear  its  flanks.  Turn  as  it  may,  the  attack  is 
incessantly  maintained,  and  every  vulnerable  point  is 
seized  and  injured  till  the  animal  weakens.  At  the 
proper  juncture  the  pack  closes  in  on  it  and  then  the 
end  soon  comes. 

In  their  methods  of  pursuing  and  capturing  their 
prey  all  dogs  possess  many  traits  in  common.  Some, 
however,  have  special  qualities  for  one  kind  of  pur- 
suit, some  have  them  for  other  kinds,  and  these  qual- 
ities peculiarly  fit  them  for  the  service  of  man  when 
he  attempts  pursuit  himself. 

The  foxhound  has  the  speed,  stamina  and  nose  so 
essential  in  the  most  successful  pursuit  of  deer  and 
foxes.  Man  is  deficient  in  these  qualities,  so  he  ap- 
propriates the  efforts  of  the  dog  to  his  own  use.  The 
greyhound  has  the  dashing  speed  and  determination 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  57 

which  enable  him  to  catch  the  swiftest  hares  or 
wolves,  etc.,  in  a  short  pursuit. 

Setters  and  pointers  are  particularly  prized  by  man 
for  their  natural  impulse  to  hunt  game  birds,  and 
the  natural  methods  they  employ  in  their  efforts  to 
capture  them,  for  it  so  happens  that  the  methods  em- 
ployed by  the  dog  for  himself  are  equally  useful  to 
man  when  employed  in  his  service.  As  setters  and 
pointers  are  naturally  of  an  amiable  and  deferential 
nature,  diverting  their  efforts  to  the  purposes  of  the 
gun  is  not  a  task  of  great  difficulty. 

The  contention  made  herein  that  pointing  is  im- 
planted in  the  dog  by  Nature  for  his  own  benefit,  and 
that  it  is  but  one  detail  of  many  others  in  the  exercise 
of  his  instinctive  efforts  to  obtain  a  food  supply,  is 
opposed  to  some  exceedingly  venerable  teachings  on 
this  subject.  That  the  reader  may  have  a  better 
understanding  of  the  ancient  speculation  concerning 
the  origin  of  the  act  of  pointing,  and  at  the  same 
time  the  exalted  importance  of  man,  as  determined 
by  himself,  the  following  excerpt  is  quoted  from 
Stonehenge,  whom  the  public,  in  his  day  and  for 
some  years  afterward,  accepted  as  an  authority  on 
this  point: 


58  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

In  his  work,  "The  Dogs  of  the  British  Islands" 
(edition  of  1867),  he  writes:  "As  some  difference 
of  opinion  appears  to  exist  with  regard  to  setters,  we 
have  determined  thoroughly  to  satisfy  ourselves  as 
to  their  origin  and  best  form,  and  we  have  called  all 
the  best  authorities  to  our  assistance.  We  propose 
to  place  the  result  of  our  labors  before  the  public,  and 
to  add  our  own  conclusions. 

"There  is  no  doubt  that  the  sport  of  hawking  was 
known  and  practiced  by  the  ancient  Britons,  and  that 
the  Roman  was  totally  ignorant  of  the  science;  but 
the  invader  at  once  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the 
system  might  be  improved  and  introduced  the  land 
spaniel,  if  not  the  water  dog  also,  into  this  country. 

"These  dogs  roused  the  game,  and  this  was  all  that 
the  hawker  required  of  them  in  those  early  days ;  but 
in  after  years,  as  we  shall  see,  dogs  were  required  to 
point,  or,  in  the  language  of  the  quaint  old  writer, 
'Sodainely  stop  and  fall  down  upon  their  bellies/  and 
having  so  done,  when  within  two  or  three  yards, 'then 
shall  your  setter  stick  and  by  no  persuasion  go  fur- 
ther till  yourself  come  in  and  use  your  pleasure/ 

"At  first,  then,  without  doubt,  the  spaniel  was 
merely  used  as  a  springer  for  the  hawk,  which  was 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  59 

subsequently  neglected  for  the  net ;  and  the  propen- 
sity of  the  dog  to  pause  before  making  his  dash  at 
game  was  cultivated  and  cherished,  by  breeding  and 
selection,  until  at  last,  gratified  by  observing  the  ac- 
tion of  the  net,  he  yielded  his  natural  impulse  of 
springing  at  all  and  set  or  lay  down  to  permit  the  net 
to  be  drawn  over  him.  After  this  the  hawker  trained 
his  spaniel  to  set;  then  he  cast  off  his  hawk,  which 
ascended  in  circles,  and  'waited  on'  until  his  master 
roused  the  quarry  from  its  concealment,  when  she 
pounced  upon  it  like  a  pistol  shot. 

"When  used  either  with  hawks  or  for  the  net 
(especially  in  the  latter  case),  a  far  heavier  dog  an- 
swered the  purpose  than  what  we  call  a  'high-rang- 
ing setter.'  The  net  enveloped  a  whole  covey  in  its 
meshes  and  few  manors  would  allow  of  many  coveys 
being  taken  in  a  day;  whilst  the  disentangling  the 
birds  and  securing  them  allowed  time  for  the  heavy 
dog  to  rest  and  regain  his  wind." 

As  further  bearing  on  this  point,  he  refers  to  it 
again  in  the  same  work,  in  the  chapter  on  the  Sussex 
spaniel,  as  follows :  "About  the  year  1555  a  Duke  of 
Northumberland  trained  one  'to  set  birds  for  the  net,' 
and  soon  afterward  the  setter  was  produced;  either 


60  TRAINING   THE   HUNTING   DOG 

by  selection  or  by  crossing  the  Talbot  hound  and 
spaniel." 

From  the  implication  in  the  foregoing — for  the 
origin  of  the  setter  as  well  as  the  act  of  pointing  is 
therein  only  matter  of  implication — it  was  but  a 
short  step  for  later  and  more  superficial  writers 
to  assert  that  the  setter  had  a  spaniel  origin,  and  that 
the  act  of  pointing  had  its  source  in  the  training  of  a 
few  dogs  to  lie  down  while  a  net  was  spread  over 
them  and  the  covey  which  they  had  found.  Could 
anything  be  more  inconsequential  in  the  explanation 
of  a  simple  subject  than  that  in  1555  an  unknown 
Duke  trained  a  Sussex  spaniel  "to  set  birds  for  the 
net  and  soon  afterward  the  setter  was  produced, 
either  by  selection  or  by  crossing  the  Talbot  hound 
and  the  spaniel"  ?  As  to  the  origin  of  the  setter,  there 
is  but  one  sensible  conclusion — that  is  to  say,  we  do 
not  know  what  it  is.  Up  to  the  time  of  Col.  Hutchin- 
son  there  were  few  authors  on  canine  subjects  who 
wrote  from  their  own  practical  experience,  and  fewer 
still  who  had  proper  discriminating  powers  of  mind 
to  comprehend  the  dog  as  he  is,  and  to  write  of  him 
accordingly.  They  accepted  all  the  absurdities,  con- 
jectures and  vagaries  of  the  first  writers  as  being 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  6 1 

good  matter-of-fact,  and  did  not  hesitate  to  repeat 
them  as  being  true. 

By  the  simple  process  of  dint  of  repetition,  it  has 
come  to  be  a  general  belief  that  the  pointing  instinct 
originated  as  told  in  the  net-and-dog  story,  or  as  im- 
plied by  it,  for  it  does  not  assert  it.  In  fact,  it  ad- 
mits the  existence  of  the  instinct,  as  shown  by  the 
remark  "and  the  propensity  of  the  dog  to  pause  be- 
fore making  his  dash  at  game  was  cultivated  and 
cherished,  by  breeding  and  selection,  until,  at  last, 
gratified  by  observing  the  action  of  the  net,  he  yield- 
ed his  natural  impulse  of  springing  at  all,"  etc.  That 
is  precisely  the  case  to-day,  if  we  substitute  the  gun 
for  the  net  and  interpret  the  loosely  written  descrip- 
tion according  to  the  facts. 

The  dog  of  to-day  has  naturally  the  pause  before 
making  his  dash  to  capture.  He  only  forbears  spring- 
ing as  a  consequence  of  much  training.  After  he  has 
observed  the  success  of  the  gun  on  the  one  hand,  and 
after  being  firmly  denied  the  pleasure  of  springing 
on  the  other  hand,  we  come  to  the  ancient  and 
modern  belief  wherein  he  is  "at  last,  gratified  by  ob- 
serving the  action  of  the  net,"  etc.  The  ancient 
writers  were,  moreover,  handicapped  by  the  over- 


62  TRAINING    THE    HUNTING   DOG 

weening  belief  in  the  sublimity  of  man  and  the  spe- 
cial creation  of  all  the  lower  animals  for  his  benefit. 

Considering  setters  and  pointers  from  the  same 
unprejudiced  standpoint  from  which  we  would  con- 
sider tigers,  wild  dogs,  cats  and  rats,  etc.,  we  observe 
that  they  possess  the  hunting  instinct  and  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  best  manner  of  hunting,  to  the  end  that 
they  may  obtain  a  food  supply.  In  a  wild  state  their 
existence  depends  on  their  ability  to  pursue  and  cap- 
ture. The  hunting  instinct  and  the  manner  of  its 
exercise  were  no  more  implanted  in  the  nature  of 
pointers  and  setters  to  please  or  profit  a  man  with  a 
gun  than  was  the  like  instinct,  etc.,  of  their  wild  con- 
geners, the  wolves,  dingoes,  etc.,  implanted  for  the 
same  purpose. 

Setters  and  pointers,  though  their  names  might 
seem  to  indicate  otherwise,  display  no  essential  dif- 
ferences in  their  methods  of  pursuit  and  capture,  nor 
in  their  choice  of  prey.  They  delight  in  hunting  rab- 
bits, squirrels  and  other  small  animals,  and  prefer 
them  to  game  birds  as  an  object  of  pursuit.  It  is  not 
at  all  a  difficult  matter  to  break  a  dog  from  hunting 
birds.  Not  infrequently  the  amateur  accomplishes 
this  result  unintentionally  and  unexpectedly  by  pun- 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  63 

ishment  in  his  mistaken  attempts  to  train,  the  result 
being  an  unfortunate  condition  called  "blinking." 

It  is  a  task  of  extreme  difficulty  to  break  the  dog 
from  his  passionate  fondness  for  hunting  rabbits.  He 
for  a  time  will  disobey  commands,  ignore  punish- 
ment and  strike  out  independently  to  gratify  his 
fondness  for  chasing  them.  On  their  trail  he  gives 
tongue  merrily  and  flies  along  at  his  topmost  speed, 
through  punishing  brier  or  muddy  swamp,  never 
feeling  fatigue  while  the  ardor  of  the  chase  is  upon 
him. 

The  setter  and  pointer,  when  seeking  birds,  range 
about  till  they  strike  the  trail;  then  they  follow  it 
carefully,  silently  and  alertly.  As  the  setter  nears  the 
birds  and  the  scent  gets  warmer,  he  feathers;  his 
eyes  glisten;  his  jaws  open  tremulously;  he  crouches 
as  he  draws  nearer,  and  mayhap  he  may  drop  to  the 
ground  for  a  moment;  his  nerves  and  muscles  be- 
come tenser  in  anticipation  of  the  approaching  spring 
and  dash  into  the  concealment  of  the  birds,  and  of 
!:he  resultant  bloody  ending.  The  pointer  exhibits 
the  same  phenomena,  except  the  feathering. 

The  nose  of  the  pointer  or  setter  is  his  highest 
organ  of  sense.  It  has  wonderful  functional  powers, 


64  TRAINING    THE    HUNTING    DOG 

and  by  experience  he  acquires  equally  wonderful 
powers  of  discrimination  in  its  use. 

Each  follows  the  trail  accurately  by  his  powers  of 
scenting.  When  he  has  drawn  near  to  the  birds  he 
has  a  new  problem  to  solve ;  he  must  accurately  deter- 
mine the  whereabouts  of  the  birds  in  their  conceal- 
ment. If  he  cannot  do  so,  his  skill  and  silence  in 
reading  them  avail  nothing.  The  birds  have  prob- 
ably discovered  that  an  enemy  is  about  and  have 
sought  the  most  convenient  cover  for  safety.  When 
near  to  them  he  sets,  stands  or  points,  terms  which 
denote  the  same  act ;  he  is  in  a  position  to  spring  to 
the  extent  of  his  capabilities ;  his  eyes  are  set  but  are 
nevertheless  keenly  alert.  If  he  is  not  quite  sure  of 
his  distance  and  the  location  of  the  birds,  he  moves, 
perhaps  taking  a  better  advantage  of  the  wind  and 
ground,  and  points  again.  Satisfied  at  length  that  he 
has  made  his  calculations  correctly,  he  springs  from 
his  point  with  wonderful  agility  and  generally  with 
admirable  precision,  succeeding  frequently  in  catch- 
ing a  bird  before  it  can  get  well  on  the  wing,  or 
before  it  can  disentangle  itself  from  the  cover  in 
which  it  was  concealed. 

If  he  has  erred  in  his  calculations,  or  if  he  has  not 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS;  65 

Used  his  nose  truly,  he  may  spring  from  his  point  in 
a  wrong  direction  and  thereby  possibly  make  a  fail^ 
tire  of  the  effort.  When  the  birds  rise  the  dog's 
eyes  corne  into  service.  If  he  errs  on  the  first  spring 
he  may  readjust  for  the  second,  aiid  if  there  are  any 
laggards  or  weak  birds  he  still  may  succeed  in  cap- 
turing one.  If  he  captures  and  is  permitted  to  dis- 
pose of  the  bird  as  he  pleases,  he  forthwith  eats  it 
with  great  relish.  The  fox  observes  a  similar 
method  when  he  attempts  to  capture  grouse.  The 
cat,  too,  exhibits  analogous  method  in  its  attempt  to 
stalk  small  birds,  etc.,  trusting,  however,  more  to  the 
sense  of  sight  than  to  the  sense  of  smell. 

Many  centuries  ago  man  observed  this  trait  of  the 
dog  and  learned  that,  by  restraining  it  to  limits 
which  did  not  permit  of  the  spring  to  capture,  it 
could  be  usefully  applied  to  his  own  purposes  in  the 
pursuit  and  capture  of  game  birds. 

Ranging,  reading,  pointing  and  the  knowledge 
and  crafty  application  of  them  which  comes  only 
from  experience,  the  trainer  cannot  supply.  The 
majority  of  amateurs,  however,  start  on  the  mis- 
taken theory  that  they  must  not  only  teach  the  dog 
how  to  work  to  the  gun,  but  how  to  hunt  birds. 


66  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

Dogs  so  taught,  or  rather  so  untaught,  become  ab- 
jectly perfunctory.  They  lose  all  independence  of 
action  or  purpose,  and  look  to  their  trainer  for 
orders  at  every  turn.  All  idea  of  initiative  is  gone 
from  them  and  therewith  nearly  all  of  self-interest ; 
consequently  they  are  more  or  less  listless  and  sloth- 
ful in  manner  and  are  devoid  of  ardor  and  industry. 
Let  the  puppy  range  and  locate  the  birds  in  his 
own  wild  way.  Let  him  alone.  What  if  he  flushes 
and  chases?  All  the  better.  A  puppy  which  will 
not  flush  and  chase  at  first  is  a  marvel.  Left  to  him- 
self, he  learns  to  locate  quickly  and  discriminates  as 
to  the  kind  of  cover  and  the  nooks  which  the  game 
frequents.  With  more  experience  he  will  modify 
his  puppy  ways ;  at  all  events,  the  qualities  useful  to 
man  have  been  developed  by  sensible  opportunity 
and  are  in  proper  form  for  his  schooling  to  the  gun. 
Developed  in  this  manner,  besides  having  a  knowl- 
edge most  useful  in  the  capacity  of  servant,  he  will 
have  dash,  enthusiasm,  persistence  and  that  very 
desirable  quality  commonly  called  "bird  sense," 
which  the  dog  acquires  for  himself,  and  which  the 
trainer  could  not  impart  to  him  otherwise  than  by 
experience  if  he  devoted  a  lifetime  to  it. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  67 

The  foregoing  contains  a  description  of  the  gen- 
eral and  essential  principles  employed  in  the  develop- 
ment of  setters  and  pointers  in  the  service  of  the 
gun,  and  the  proper  theory  on  which  to  conduct  their 
training.  Under  no  other  conditions  is  it  possible  to 
develop  the  field  trial  dog;  for  while  the  imperfect 
field  dog  might  give  reasonable  satisfaction  to  a 
shooter,  the  imperfect  field  trial  dog  in  competition 
would  suffer  according  to  his  imperfections. 


68  TRAINING  THE   HUNTING  DOG 


CHAPTER  IV. 

PUNISHMENT  AND  BAD  METHODS. 

FEAR  in  all  its  forms,  bird  shyness  (commonly 
called  blinking),  whip  shyness,  man  shyness,  gun 
shyness,  or  a  shyness  in  taking  the  initiative  in  any- 
thing, is  the  common  result  of  harshly  repressive 
and  tyrannical  methods.  Accordingly  as  the  fear 
is  associated  with  a  particular  object  so  one  kind 
of  shyness  may  be  exhibited;  but  fear  may  be 
associated  with  several  objects  if  there  is  cause 
for  it  from  the  dog's  point  of  view.  Badly  treated 
dogs  may  show  all  the  different  forms,  with  a  gen- 
eral apprehensiveness  that  something  dreadful  is 
likely  to  happen  at  any  moment.  Sometimes  a  form 
of  shyness  may  result  from  the  trainer's  mistake  of 
a  moment,  but  generally  it  is  the  result  of  systematic 
harshness. 

Whatever  the  cause,  shyness  of  any  kind  is  more 
or  less  a  serious  check  on  the  dog's  training,'  and  if  it 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  69 

is  of  the  kind  known  as  blinking,  it  may  go  far  to- 
ward rendering  him  worthless. 

The  trainer  who  succeeds  best  must  have  a  genu- 
ine liking  for  dogs,  else  he  is  predisposed  to  habitual 
harshness  or  indifference.  Those  who  have  no 
fondness  for  them  are  rarely  much  of  a  success  as 
skillful  educators,  and  generally  the  dog  which  is  so 
unfortunate  as  to  be  under  their  schooling  has  met 
his  misfortunes  of  life  at  its  very  outset. 

While  a  dog  may  misbehave  and  therefore  need 
punishment  as  a  preventive,  it  must  ever  be  consid- 
ered that  there  are  degrees  of  it,  times  for  it,  and  a 
manner  of  applying  it  which  render  it  most  effec- 
tive. One  trainer  may  whip  a  dog  severely  without 
thereby  losing  his  confidence  or  abating  his  ardor; 
another  one  may  give  a  less  punishment  and  still 
evoke  shyness.  The  one  had  the  dog's  confidence 
and  affection ;  the  other  had  but  a  small  part  of  them 
or  none. 

There  are  dogs  which  are  by  nature  timid,  but 
shyness  is  a  euphemistic  term  for  fear.  When  the 
dog  is  shy  he  is  afraid.  There  are  some  painful  as- 
sociations of  the  past  which  he  considers  may  be- 
come the  realities  of  the  present,  and  being  a  reason- 


7O  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

ing  animal  he  is  shy  of  those  which  suggest  pain. 
He  is  afraid  of  the  whip  because  it  is  associated  with 
painful  memories.  He  is  afraid  of  his  handler  be- 
cause the  latter  is  a  being  of  superior  force  and  dan- 
gerous in  certain  moods.  He  is  afraid  of  the  gun  if 
the  concussion  of  it  has  strained  and  pained  his  ear 
drums,  if  the  flash  has  hurt  his  eyes,  if  the  smell  of 
the  foul  gases  has  offended  his  delicate  nose,  and  if 
he  has  been  thrashed  in  a  way  by  which  he  reasoned 
that  the  presence  of  the  gun  was  associated  with  the 
thrashing.  He  is  shy  of  birds  if  he  is  whipped  con- 
cerning them  before  he  knows  for  what  he  is 
whipped ;  the  pain  then  is  associated  with  them,  and 
when  he  catches  scent  of  them  he  blinks.  He  be- 
comes shy  of  taking  any  independent  action  if  he  is 
constantly  nagged  and  balked  and  scolded  and  be- 
deviled, and  it  is  a  fair  assumption  that  his  master 
would  be  so  if  subjected  to  the  same  treatment,  be- 
sides having  therefrom  a  large  fund  of  hard-luck 
stories  with  which  to  edify  his  friends. 

While  it  is  not  possible  to  conduct  the  training  of 
all  dogs  without  evoking  a  feeling  of  shyness  at 
times,  it  is  quite  possible  to  keep  the  shyness  within 
bounds  which  are  not  harmful,  if  not  possible  to  dis- 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  ?! 

pel  the  shyness  as  a  phase  of  the  passing  moment. 
But  if  the  dog's  fears  dominate  him,  his  thoughts  are 
concentrated  on  his  own  safety,  and  in  that  frame  of 
mind  he  is  not  a  promising  pupil. 

When  a  dog  is  trained  too  much,  he  is  said  to  be 
over-trained,  but  this  term  does  not  properly  convey 
the  meaning  of  the  results  of  over-meddling,  namely, 
the  suppression  of  his  proper  educational  develop- 
ment and  the  slavish  subordination  of  his  will,  which 
make  him  a  mere  unthinking  machine  in  the  hands 
of  his  master.  By  way  of  contrasting  the  differ- 
ence between  arrested  mental  development,  let  us 
consider  the  independent  action,  the  resourcefulness, 
the  vigorous  industry  of  a  hound  or  hounds  in  pur- 
suit of  a  fox,  of  greyhounds  in  pursuit  of  a  jack- 
rabbit,  of  self-hunting  setters  and  pointers  when 
freely  ranging  alone  through  field  and  forest  in  pur- 
suit of  prey.  These  qualities,  then  at  their  best — 
that  is,  as  the  dogs  use  them  for  themselves — 
are  at  the  degree  they  should  be  after  the  dog  is 
trained  to  apply  them  in  the  service  of  the  gun.  But, 
if  the  trainer  exercises  and  enforces  his  own  judg- 
ment as  to  what  the  dog  must  do  in  every  moment 
and  every  act,  perpetually  commanding,  whistling-, 


72  TRAINING    THE    HUNTING   DOG 

signaling,  checking  him  in  his  every  independent 
purpose,  he  will  become  so  dominated  and  restricted 
in  time  that  he  will  be  a  creature  without  a  will  or 
purpose  of  his  own,  and  will  look  to  his  trainer  for 
prompting  and  orders  at  every  turn. 

From  the  moment  of  the  first  glimmer  of  intelli- 
gence in  the  puppy  till  the  moment  he  dies,  he  in  do- 
mestication observes  the  domination  of  man.  He 
quickly  learns  that  man  is  his  superior  in  force  and 
knowledge,  and  he  learns  also  that  to  him  he  must 
yield.  Restrictions  in  working  to  the  gun  which  at 
first  were  submitted  to  under  compulsion  in  time 
are  accepted  by  him  from  self-interest  and  habit. 

If  the  over-trained  dog  makes  a  short  cast,  he  re- 
turns immediately  for  a  command  or  signal  from  his 
trainer  as  to  what  he  should  do  next.  He  roads  and 
points  perfunctorily  under  submission.  His  whole 
attention  and  acts  are  engrossed  in  the  observance  of 
his  slavehood;  perpetually  balked,  thrashed  and 
dominated,  his  ardent  desire  to  pursue  and  capture 
in  his  own  free  and  happy  manner  is  either  harmfully 
suppressed  or  entirely  extinguished  when  he  is  in  the 
company  of  his  teacher.  Such  are  the  evils  of  over- 
training. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  73 

A  dog  over-trained  is  of  much  less  value  as  a 
worker  than  one  that  is  but  partially  trained  but 
whose  natural  capabilities  are  unimpaired.  In  this 
connection,  it  may  be  usefully  remarked  that  prac- 
tically the  properly  trained  dog  works  without  any 
orders  at  all.  Man  and  dog  seek  with  concerted  ac- 
tion to  supplement  each  other's  efforts,  working  to- 
gether for  mutual  success  as  a  team.  The  dog,  al- 
lowed to  work  in  his  own  manner,  but  restricted  more 
and  more  to  apply  his  work  in  the  service  of  the  gun 
as  his  training  progresses,  in  time  learns  that  great 
success  results  from  the  joint  efforts  of  his  master 
and  himself;  and  he  then  performs  his  part  with  an 
intelligence  and  a  practical  manipulation  of  means  to 
ends  far  beyond  any  knowledge  which  could  be 
conveyed  to  him  by  his  teacher. 

A  knowledge  of  the  evils  of  over-training  is  es- 
sential in  the  development  and  training  of  field  dogs, 
but  it  is  still  more  essential  in  respect  to  field  trial 
dogs.  However  satisfactory  to  his  owner  an  over- 
trained dog  may  be  in  field  work,  he  will  not  be  con- 
sidered as  even  making  a  good  showing  when  in 
competition  with  properly  trained  dogs  which  are 
performing  under  the  critical  eye  of  the  judge.  But 


74  TRAINING    THE   HUNTING   DOG 

the  distinctions  in  respect  to  field  and  field  trial  train- 
ing will  be  more  fully  set  forth  in  other  chapters. 

Training  a  dog  to  loud  orders  is  a  bad,  coarse 
method  of  teaching  obedience.  It  is  indicative  of 
bad  temper  in  the  trainer,  accomplishes  nothing 
which  could  not  be  accomplished  in  a  quieter  way, 
is  distinctively  offensive  to  everyone  within  hearing 
of  the  hullabaloo,  and  gives  alarming  notice  to  all  the 
birds  in  the  neighborhood  that  a  dangerous,  blood- 
thirsty man  has  invaded  their  habitat.  It  thus  im- 
pairs success. 

Oftentimes  the  amateur  trainer  takes  his  gun  and 
sets  forth  to  kill  birds,  taking  a  green  puppy  along 
and  making  the  education  of  the  latter  a  mere  inci- 
dent of  his  sport.  Such  is  not  at  all  training  in  a 
proper  sense.  It  is  commencing  at  a  point  which 
should  be  at  a  much  later  stage  in  the  dog's  educa- 
tion. 

After  the  training  has  once  been  begun,  regularity 
in  the  lessons  is  of  prime  importance.  For  instance, 
it  will  be  conceded  at  once  that  it  is  much  better  to 
give  a  dog  a  half -hour  lesson  on  each  of  ten  days  than 
it  is  to  give  him  a  lesson  of  five  hours'  duration  on 
one  day.  While  a  dog  has  very  good  powers  of 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  75 

memory,  he  soon  forgets  his  first  lessons  if  he  is  not 
refreshed  by  daily  repetition  in  respect  to  them.  The 
trainer  may  have  had  a  similar  forgetfulness  con- 
cerning his  own  first  lessons,  which  should  admonish 
him  to  be  considerate. 

While  punishment  betimes  is  a  necessity,  its  use  as 
a  whole  is  unnecessarily  comprehensive.  There  is 
no  doubt  that  it  is  inflicted  in  most  instances 
under  a  mistaken  belief  that  it  is  useful  in  forcing  a 
dog  to  learn  what  the  trainer  desires  he  should  learn 
and  that  it  really  accomplishes  the  desired  purpose. 
The  idea,  so  applied,  is  a  mistaken  one.  Punish- 
ment never  teaches  the  dog  anything  other  than  in  a 
negative  manner ;  that  is  to  say,  it  simply  deters  him 
from  doing  certain  things.  It  does  not  in  the  least 
add  to  the  dog's  sum  total  of  knowledge  in  a  develop- 
mental manner.  For  instance,  if  the  dog  is  pun- 
ished for  chasing  a  rabbit,  he  learns  that  the  act  has 
painful  associations,  which  are  likely  to  again  recur 
if  the  act  is  repeated,  and,  expecting  this,  he  forbears 
chasing.  The  punishment  does  not  in  the  least  teach 
him  the  reason  why  he  must  not  chase,  nor  indeed 
anything  about  chasing  other  than  that  the  act  re- 
sults in  pain  to  himself.  It  is  a  deterrent,  and  he  un- 


76  TRAINING   THE   HUNTING   DOG 

derstands  nothing  more  concerning  it.  On  the  other 
hand,  if  he  had  not  the  natural  impulse  and  inclina- 
tion, no  degree  of  punishment  would  teach  him  how 
to  chase  a  rabbit  or  even  to  chase  it  at  all.  From  the 
dog's  point  of  view,  there  is  no  wrong  in  chasing 
rabbit,  chicken  or  sheep,  etc.  They  are  his  natural 
prey ;  his  delight  in  their  pursuit  is  unbounded ;  he  is 
following  the  natural  impulses  of  his  nature;  it  is 
his  manner  of  obtaining  the  necessities  of  dog  life ; 
yet,  if  punished,  he  yields  to  superior  force  and  de- 
sists. 

There  is  no  part  of  a  dog's  education  in  which 
punishment  is  of  any  benefit  except  as  a  corrective. 
The  dog's  knowledge  increases  only  from  experi- 
ence. The  trainer  cannot  force  his  own  knowledge 
into  the  dog  by  virtue  of  whip  or  spike  collar.  Even 
when  forcing  a  dog  to  retrieve  with  the  latter  instru- 
ment, its  value  is  purely  negative.  It  does  not  teach 
the  dog  anything  about  retrieving,  as  will  be  more 
fully  explained  in  the  chapter  treating  on  that  sub- 
ject. 

When  a  dog's  fears  are  aroused,  or  when  he  is 
made  needlessly  to  feel  uncomfortable,  worried  and 
uneasy,  his  progress  as  a  pupil  is  slow,  If  the  les- 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  JJ 

sons  are  made  obnoxious  to  him,  the  trainer  has  suc- 
ceeded in  making  them  things  to  be  avoided  or 
quickly  ended  rather  than  things  which  have  a  pleas- 
ant purpose.  With  a  violent  teacher,  the  dog's  life 
is  truly  a  sad  one.  His  knowledge  is  then  acquired 
under  the  most  disheartening  difficulties.  Under 
similar  violent  conditions,  the  teacher  as  a  pupil 
would  rise  in  rebellion  and  implore  the  world  to  wit- 
ness and  right  his  wrongs.  Punishment  is  a  bad 
enough  measure  when  used  as  a  true  aid  to  educa- 
tion. It  is  no  part  of  education  when  used  to  gratify 
anger. 

Until  the  trainer  can  control  his  temper,  if  he  un- 
fortunately have  one  which  is  fiery,  and  fit  his  efforts 
to  the  dog's  capacity  and  progress,  he  will  be  ineffi- 
cient. And  these  corrections  of  himself  no  one  can 
do  for  him  other  than  himself.  His  own  judgment 
and  self-control  are  his  only  reliance,  since  they  are 
personal  and  therefore  entirely  outside  of  the  scope 
of  any  system  presented  by  others. 


78  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  BEST  LESSONS  OF  PUPPYHOOD. 

As  INTIMATED  in  preceding  chapters,  the  most 
useful  education  to  the  puppy  is  that  in  Nature's  own 
school.  His  best  development,  mentally,  physically, 
and  educationally,  comes  from  his  own  powers  of  ob- 
servation and  practice. 

The  training  which  in  domestication  he  receives 
from  association  with  his  master,  and  from  the  more 
special  schooling  in  working  to  the  gun,  is  but  a  mere 
incident. 

Considering  his  education  as  a  whole,  as  the  puppy 
develops,  the  trainer  can  do  much  to  strengthen  the 
ties  of  friendly  association  and  to  evoke  therewith 
enthusiastic  effort.  If  he  gives  the  puppy  a  run  in 
the  fields  every  day  or  two,  feeds  him  regularly,  and 
joins  him  more  or  less  in  his  plays,  he  becomes  to  the 
latter  an  object  of  distinguished  consideration.  The 
puppy  thereby  is  gradually  dominated  and  accepts 
his  master  as  the  one  who  is  in  authority.  His  conse- 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  /Q 

quent  association  of  ideas,  if  pleasant,  impels  him  to 
seek>his  master's  society  whenever  his  self-interest 
is  aroused,  whether  in  respect  to  wandering  about 
through  the  fields,  or  pursuing  his  prey,  or  looking 
to  his  master  for  food  and  shelter,  or  enjoying  the 
peace  and  comfort  of  mind  which  come  from  agree- 
able comradeship  with  him.  By  this  association  he 
forms  a  friendly  alliance  with  his  master,  which, 
after  a  length  of  time,  becomes  a  habit  of  life,  and,  if 
properly  cherished,  a  true  second  nature. 

By  joining  the  puppy  betimes  in  his  plays,  and 
when  afield  by  permitting  him  to  revel  in  the  delights 
of  strategic  stalking  and  chasing  young  birds  and 
butterflies,  circumventing  frogs  and  admiring  and 
studying  all  Nature  through  the  organ  of  scent,  as 
his  master  in  an  analogous  manner  studies  it  through 
the  organ  of  sight,  he  becomes  waywise,  gains  a 
knowledge  of  the  things  of  the  outer  world,  besides 
being  afforded  the  freedom  of  action  so  essential  to 
his  physical  development  and  well-being. 

A  puppy,  when  constantly  on  a  chain  or  in  confine- 
ment, can  learn  nothing  of  value  to  his  master  or 
to  himself,  simply  because  under  such  conditions  no 
opportunity  to  learn  is  afforded.  A  case  in  point  is 


80  TRAINING    THE    HUNTING   DOG 

that  of  the  mature  city  dog  which,  for  the  first  time 
experiencing  the  delights  of  a  visit  to  the  country, 
displays  the  most  unbounded  ignorance,  though 
overflowing  with  amazement  and  ecstasy.  The  com- 
mon domestic  animals  excite  both  his  predatory  in- 
terest and  apprehension  of  danger.  Even  the  sight 
of  a  cow  in  the  pasture,  though  his  instinct  may  im- 
pel him  to  make  a  bold  front,  fills  him  with  the  grav- 
est alarms,  as  shown  by  his  waverings  in  alert  re- 
treats and  reluctant  advances.  Again,  he  romps 
about  in  a  foolish  manner,  doing  a  thousand  trivial 
or  foolish  things,  at  cross  purposes  with  every  hap- 
pening, and  his  poor  mind  ever  filled  with  wonder- 
ment. 

If  confined  constantly,  besides  being  ignorant,  he 
is  mentally  dwarfed,  physically  inferior,  more  or 
less  misshapen,  with  a  soured  temper  and  an  impaired 
capacity  for  companionship.  In  fact,  if  he  is  kept 
in  confinement  till  he  matures,  there  is  likely  to  be 
a  general  lifelong  depreciation  of  his  faculties  and 
capabilities. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  dog  which  has  his  liberty 
learns  the  meaning  of  everything  within  his  environ- 
ment, and  adjusts  his  deportment  accordingly. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  8 1 

While  permitting  him  to  enjoy  his  own  natural 
riotous  manner,  the  ecstatic  pleasure  of  expending 
surplus  energy,  the  trainer  will  have  no  difficulty  in 
maintaining  his  own  domination.  Many  objection- 
able natural  tendencies  may  be  suppressed  incident- 
ally, such  as  an  inclination  to  chase  sheep  or  poultry, 
etc.  From  the  puppy  point  of  view  there  is  no  harm 
in  pursuing  them;  indeed,  he  cannot  know  that 
they  are  not  objects  of  legitimate  pursuit  and  cap- 
ture before  he  is  so  taught  by  experience.  From 
his  standpoint  every  living  animal  found  in  the 
woods  and  fields  is  there  to  be  chased  by  him  if  he 
feels  in  the  humor  to  do  so,  or  to  be  killed  if  he 
wishes  to  compass  its  death. 

In  this  connection,  by  considering  how  easily  he 
can  teach  the  dog  to  blink  sheep,  etc.,  the  trainer  will 
the  better  comprehend  how  he  may  unintentionally 
teach  him  to  blink  birds.  The  dog  considers  the  im- 
mediate relation  of  circumstances.  He,  when  blink- 
ing, associates  some  painful  experience  with  the 
birds.  If  the  painfulness  be  from  scoldings  and 
whippings,  he  quite  reasonably  considers  that  they 
were  administered  for  taking  notice  of  the  birds  at 
all  rather  than  for  flushing  and  chasing  them,  the 


82  TRAINING    THE    HUNTING   DOG 

latter  being  acts  which,  from  his  standpoint,  are  at 
first  quite  right. 

It  thus  will  be  noted  that  a  certain  degree  of  free- 
dom and  association  with  man  is  essential  to  the  dog's 
best  education  as. a  servant  in  the  interests  of  the  gun. 
Nor  are  all  the  advantages  of  companionship  to  be 
charged  to  the  puppy  in  the  matter  of  training.  The 
trainer  is  also  benefited  thereby.  It  gives  him  the 
best  of  opportunities  to  study  the  puppy's  peculiari- 
ties and  abilities.  He  will  note  whether  his  pupil  is 
intelligent  or  stupid,  timid  or  bold,  diligent  or  lazy, 
calm  or  excitable,  etc.  In  fact,  it  will  be  a  distinct 
gain  to  him  if  he  cultivates  a  habit  of  close  observa- 
tion of  the  traits  and  doings  of  his  pupils  at  all  times. 

No  two  dogs  have  precisely  the  same  talents,  nor 
the  same  methods  of  accomplishing  their  purposes. 
Indeed,  most  dogs  vary  widely  in  their  powers,  and 
the  application  of  them.  Each  dog  has  an  individu- 
ality of  his  own.  He  can  best  perform  in  his  own 
natural  manner.  Nothing,  therefore,  will  be  gained 
by  any  attempts  to  make  him  work  up  to  some  ideal, 
even  though  it  be  the  most  famous  ideal  ever  imag- 
ined. The  idea  of  the  ideal  can  never  be  communi- 
cated to  the  dog. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  83 

The  best  that  the  trainer  can  do  is  to  make  the 
most  of  the  powers  the  dog  is  endowed  with  by  Na- 
ture. This  is  the  standard  of  effort.  The  trainer  de- 
velops the  puppy  to  the  extent  of  his  abilities,  and 
having  done  that  he  can  do  no  more.  If  the  puppy 
has  not  the  powers  of  greatness  within  himself,  it  is 
impossible  to  develop  him  beyond  his  limitations ;  as 
much  so  as  it  is  to  develop  a  man  into  a  great  orator, 
musician,  artist,  etc.,  if  he  has  not  the  natural  talents 
for  any  of  these  accomplishments.  . 

As  to  the  house  training — or  house  breaking,  as 
it  is  more  commonly  called — the  puppy  acquires 
most  of  it  by  virtue  of  scoldings  and  the  broomstick. 
If  he  appreciates  the  best  bed  and  bedroom  for  a 
kennel,  he  feels  that  a  lashed  hide,  scoldings,  cold 
looks  and  unfriendly  surveillance  are  matters  worth 
noting  and  heeding.  When  driven  from  the  parlor  at 
the  point  of  the  broomstick  he  avoids  it  thereafter  as 
a  place  of  pains  and  discomfort.  The  dining  room, 
'  e  table  and  the  food  placed  upon  it,  by  virtue  of 

e  broomstick,  are  conceded  by  him,  sooner  or  later, 
to  be  a  place  for  his  betters.  Banished  repeatedly 
from  the  house  in  disgrace,  and  deprived  of  the 
friendly  regard  of  its  members  for  the  time  being, 


84  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

he  suffers  pain  and  deprivation,  consequently  his 
own  self-interest  prompts  him  to  learn  what  the 
household  regulations  are,  as  they  concern  himself, 
what  the  penalty  is  if  they  are  violated,  and  what 
privileges  are  accorded  to  him  on  the  lines  of  the 
least  resistance. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  85 

CHAPTER  VI. 

YARti    BREAKING. 

THE  preliminary  schooling  of  the  dog,  commonly 
called  yard  breaking/ consists  in  teaching  him  the 
proper  acts  of  obedience  in  response  to  certain  com- 
mands which  are  of  general  and  special  utility  in  con- 
trolling him  in  his  work  afield  and  at  other  times. 
By  establishing  a  habit  of  prompt  and  cheerful  obedi- 
ence to  such  commands  before  the  more  serious 
training  in  the  work  afield  begins,  it  is  readily  appar- 
ent that  a  distinct  educational  gain  is  made.  Inci- 
dentally, these  preliminary  lessons,  by  the  opportuni- 
ties of  companionship  which  they  afford,  establish 
the  most  friendly  relations  between  teacher  and  pu- 
pil, if  they  are  kindly  and  sympathetically  conducted. 

From  his  hours  of  play,  wherein  the  puppy  frisks 
and  frolics  as  he  pleases,  hardly  any  fatigue  ensues. 
He  then  is  following  the  simple  impulses  of  his  own 
mind,  which  do  not  cause  great  nervous  strain,  over- 
heating, confusion,  or  intense  worry.  He  abhors 


86  TRAINING  THE    HUNTING   DOG 

lessons  which  are  devoid  of  all  amusement.  If  they 
are  gently  and  amusingly  given  success  is  more  pro- 
gressive. After  a  time  mental  strength  and  stamina 
will  develop,  and  then  longer  lessons  may  be  given 
without  distressing  him. 

Later  in  the  training  the  powers  of  his  mind  be- 
come so  much  more  vigorous  that  the  most  difficult 
of  the  training  lessons  are  learned  with  greater  ease 
than  were  the  far  more  simple  beginnings. 

To  concentrate  his  mind  on  what  is  being  taught 
him  in  the  first  lessons  is  exceedingly  difficult  and 
fatiguing  to  him ;  therefore  the  teacher  would  better 
set  a  short  limit  to  the  lessons,  say  fifteen  or  twenty 
minutes.  He  also  should  avoid  the  habit  of  con- 
stantly bossing  and  nagging  the  pupil  between  les- 
sons. If  he  is  bossed  and  bullied  incessantly,  he,  after 
a  time,  loses  all  power  of  independent  initiative,  and 
is  so  dominated  by  his  tutor  that  he  is  a  mere  un- 
thinking machine. 

These  suggestions  as  to  over  discipline  are  quite 
as  applicable  when  the  dog  is  receiving  his  experience 
on  game  as  they  are  when  he  is  receiving  his  yard 
breaking.  His  subjugation  to  the  entire  domina- 
tion of  his  trainer  is  undesirable  at  any  time.  Yet 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  / 

many  good  dogs  are  annually  spoiled,  or  their  best 
efforts  marred,  by  rigidly  restricting  them  to  lines  of 
action  in  their  yard  training  which  are  mistakenly 
deemed  to  be  the  correct  thing  when  they  are  actu- 
ally working  to  the  gun. 

While  the  trainer  may  have  in  mind  the  nice  man- 
ner in  which  the  theoretical  training  will  fit  into  the 
practical  work,  the  dog  is  entirely  ignorant  that  it  is 
training,  or,  indeed,  that  it  has  any  reference  to  any- 
thing at  all  useful.  He  recognizes  that  he  is  cramped 
and  confined  in  his  efforts,  and,  if  so  mentally  en- 
slaved till  it  becomes  a  habit,  he  exhibits  slavish 
deference  at  all  times. 

Without  the  ability  or  inclination  to  hunt  game, 
the  dog  is  worthless  for  field  purposes.  Some  dogs, 
if  checked  too  much,  perceive  nothing  which  appeals 
to  their  self-interest,  and  consequently  they  lose  all 
inclination  to  search  for  birds.  If  the  dog  refuses 
to  hunt  it  is  beyond  the  power  of  any  one  to  force 
him  to  do  so. 

This  is  a  point  which  the  trainer  should  ever  bear 
in  mind — that  is  to  say,  it  is  the  dog's  self-interest 
which  impels  him  to  seek  game.  If  this  self-interest 
is  not  preserved  all  incentive  to  effort  on  the  dog's 


£3  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

part  is  gone.  His  natural  impulse  for  the  pursuit 
of  birds  and  his  enthusiasm  in  his  efforts  to  capture 
them  are  so  great  that  he  will  submit  to  much  balk- 
ing and  punishment  before  he  will  desist ;  but  there 
is  a  certain  limit  beyond  which  he  will  net  maintain 
interest  and  effort  if  the  trainer  is  over-restrictive. 

In  the  yard  training,  as  in  the  field  work,  the 
trainer  should  teach  and  handle  quietly.  Turbulence 
in  most  instances  denotes  ill-temper  or  a  badly  dis- 
ciplined mind.  The  loud  and  incessant  issuing  of 
commands  and  blowing  of  whistles,  in  season  and 
cut  of  season,  with  or  without  cause,  are  faults  com- 
mon to  nearly  all  amateurs,  and  for  that  matter  to 
nearly  all  professionals.  The  majority  of  trainers 
are  self-taught,  so  that  bad  habits  of  method  and 
manner  acquired  in  the  beginning  are  likely  to  be 
retained  by  them  throughout  their  lives.  Habituated 
thoroughly  to  their  own  ways,  they  often  are  quite 
unconscious  of  the  hullabaloo  which  they  create,  and 
of  their  offensiveness  to  such  company  as  may  be 
with  them,  to  say  nothing  of  the  great  handicap 
which  they  impose  upon  any  dog  which  may  be  un- 
der their  control. 

Boisterous  shouting  of  orders  and  Constant  whis- 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  89 

tling  are  the  cause  of  many  flushes.  If  the  fright- 
ened birds  be  in  the  proximity  of  the  dog  at  the 
time,  the  noisy  trainer  is  prone  to  consider  that  the 
dog  is  at  fault  rather  than  himself,  who  is  really  the 
guilty  party.  When  so  noisily  intent  on  securing 
obedience  in  an  habitual  hullabaloo  manner,  the 
trainer  is  generally  lost  to  all  incidental  happenings, 
so  far  as  they  relate  to  his  own  faults. 

It  is  not  at  all  difficult  to  teach  a  dcg  obedience 
to  quiet  commands  and  gentle  signals,  and  it  is  infin- 
itely better  to  handle  him  in  that  manner  afield  than 
in  a  manner  of  noise  and  violence,  apart  from  all 
considerations  of  ease  and  elegance. 

While  being  taught,  the  dog  Quickly  learns  the 
signs  which  indicate  punishment  and  the  signs  which 
indicate  that  the  teacher  is  pleased  or  displeased. 
Changes  of  voice  and  expression  of  countenance, 
whether  of  pleasure  or  irritation,  are  noted  and  cor- 
rectly interpreted.  It  is  therefore  essential  for  the 
best  progress  in  the  lessons  that  the  teacher  preserve 
an  equable  exterior  and  action  at  all  times,  be  he 
pleased  or  displeased. 

In  the  summer  days  it  is  better  to  give  the  lessons 
in  the  early  morning  and  evening,  the  temperature 


9O  TRAINING  THE   HUNTING  DOG 

then  being  coolest.  When  the  puppy  is  warm  and 
panting  he  suffers  much  discomfort,  and  it  is  then 
difficult  to.  hold  his  interest  or  attention. 

His  mind,  being  immature  and  undisciplined,  can 
compass  only  the  simplest  details.  Therefore  it  is 
best  to  begin  with  the  most  elementary  lessons,  and 
thus  his  ideas  will  be  developed  in  a  natural  manner, 
and  obedience  will  be  enforced  without  breaking  his 
spirit  or  lessening  his  self-confidence.  As  with  the 
child  in  its  first  attempts  at  learning,  so  it  is  with  the 
puppy;  it  is  extremely  difficult  and  wearisome  for 
it  to  at  first  understand  the  simplest  teachings  or  con- 
centrate its  mind  on  any  subject  which  requires 
thought.  Under  such  circumstances,  the  amateur 
teacher  should  not  too  hastily,  assume  that  the  puppy 
is  stupid. 

When  teaching  the  first  lessons  it  is  better  to  be 
within  a  room  or  yard  from  which  he  cannot  escape, 
even  if  so  inclined.  Undoubtedly  he  will  make  many 
attempts  to  do  so.  It  is  good  training  to  permit  him 
to  make  such  attempts  with  the  resultant  failures. 
Then,  after  repeated  disappointments,  he  will  aban- 
don them. 

If  the  trainer  commands  the  puppy  to  do  some- 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  9 1 

thing  under  such  circumstances  that  obedience  can- 
not be  enforced,  and  the  latter  then  escapes  or  suc- 
ceeds in  disobeying,  a  very  troublesome  factor  is 
thereby  introduced.  The  advantages  of  disobedi- 
ence are  quickly  learned  and  remembered,  and  there- 
after, when  he  is  disinclined  to  obedience,  if  pressed 
to  a  degree  which  is  displeasing  to  him,  he  runs 
away. 

In  this  connection  it  may  be  remarked  that  every 
precaution  should  be  taken  to  prevent  the  puppy 
from  running  away,  for  once  he  learns  that  he  can 
escape,  the  difficulties  of  reducing  him  to  subjec- 
tion are  many  times  multiplied.  This  alone  suggests 
the  wisdom  of  refraining  from  any  attempts  at  train- 
ing between  lessons  in  places  where  the  puppy  is  not 
confined  within  walls  or  fences. 

The  lesson  should  end  with  some  play  and  romp- 
ing by  teacher  and  pupil,  so  that  there  may  be  pleas- 
ant associations  referring  to  it,  in  the  mind  of  the 
latter  at  least. 

The  commands  to  which  obedience  may  be  taught 
in  the  yard  lessons  are  as  follows : 


ON." 


92  TRAINING  THE    HUNTING  BOG 

The  command  "Go  on'5  denotes  that  the  dog  is  to 
start  freely  forward  and  work  according  to  his  own 
or  master's  pleasure.  During  the  early  months  of 
the  pupil's  puppyhood  this  command  may  be  easily 
taught.  It  is  readily  accomplished  by  associating 
it  with  the  act  of  freeing  the  puppy  from  his  kennel, 
or  uttering  it  at  the  moment  of  freeing  him  from  the 
chain  or  lead  strap  when  he  is  taken  afield. 

When  so  freed  from  either  chain  or  kennel,  he 
would  *"'go  on"  whether  the  command  were  uttered 
or  not,  and  this  is  the  main  reason  that  it  is  so  easily 
taught  when  the  pupil  is  still  a  tender  puppy.  It 
then  is  in  entire  consonance  with  his  inclination,  and 
"he  learns  readily  its  import  by  associating  it  with 
freedom  from  all  restraint. 

A  motion  of  the  hand  forward,  associated  with 
it,  is  soon  understood  as  signifying  the  same  as  the 
order,  and  is  quite  as  promptly  acted  upon. 

If  the  puppy  has  any  spirit  at  all  he  takes  un- 
bounded pleasure  on  hearing  the  command  "Go  on," 
or  en  seeing  the  signal,  either  of  which  denotes  that 
he  is  at  liberty  to  romp  at  his  own  free  will. 


"COME  IN." 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  93 

"Come  in"  denotes  that  the  pupil  is  to  cease  all 
effort  other  than  coming  promptly  and  directly  to 
his  master.  It  is  not  so  easily  taught  as  "Go  on,"  for 
the  reason  that  it  nearly  always  runs  counter  to  the 
pupil's  inclination.  He  is  rarely  inclined  to  give  up 
the  pleasures  of  free  romping  or  other  interesting 
purposes  in  which  he  may  be  engaged  at  the  time  he 
hears  the  order ;  therefore  it  in  most  instances  is  ne- 
cessary to  apply  force  to  establish  the  desired  obedi- 
ence. Nevertheless,  force  should  not  be  used  till 
the  puppy  is  properly  matured  and  the  formal  yard 
training  begins,  inasmuch  as  it  does  not  matter 
whether  the  puppy  obeys  promptly  or  not  before  that 
time. 

When  the  proper  juncture  arrives  it  is  necessary 
to  enforce  the  most  thorough  obedience  to  this  com- 
mand ;  otherwise  no  progress  worthy  of  any  consid- 
eration can  be  made  in  any  branch  of  training. 

No  reluctant,  hesitating  or  slovenly  obedience 
should  be  tolerated.  It  is  one  of  the  easiest  con- 
mands  to  teach  if  the  trainer  is  properly  persistent 
and  methodical,  and  yet  there  are  few  orders  more 
commonly  disobeyed  or  evaded. 

Pronounced  obstinacy  or  disobedience  must  be 


94  TRACING    THE    HUNTING   DOG 

corrected  by  force.  It  should  be  impressed  upon  the 
puppy  that  obedience  to  the  order  is  uncompromis- 
ingly imperative;  that  nothing  is  left  to  his  own  in- 
clination in  this  matter  other  than  prompt  obedience. 
The  discipline  established  thereby  in  this  one  branch 
has  a  beneficent  effect  on  all  other  branches  of 
the  training,  since  it  establishes  a  general  domi- 
nation of  the  teacher.  A  disregard  of  this  order 
denotes  that  the  dog  is  under  little  control  in  any 
respect. 

The  spike  collar  is  the  best  instrument  when  the 
application  of  force  is  necessary.  The  description 
and  uses  of  it,  set  forth  in  another  chapter,  should 
be  read  and  carefully  noted.  It  will  accomplish  the 
most  desirable  results  when  used  in  the  parts  of  the 
dog's  education  to  which  it  is  applicable ;  but,  on  the 
other  hand,  there  is  no  instrument  more  harmful  or 
capable  of  more  brutal  action  than  is  the  spike  collar 
when  improperly  applied. 

The  advantages  of  the  collar  when  used  to  force 
the  dog  to  "Come  on"  are  that  it  inflicts  pain  upon 
him  at  the  time  and  place  that  he  is  guilty  of  diso- 
bedience. 

If  he  is  standing  at  a  distance  from  his  handler  he 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  95 

thereby  has  no  immunity  from  punishment  when  the 
collar  is  on  his  neck.  It  forces  him  to  come  in,  how- 
ever much  he  may  struggle  against  it.  In  the  mean- 
time, the  trainer  need  not  make  any  alarming  demon- 
stration, it  being  quite  different  from  the  porten- 
tously hostile  actions  inseparable  from  the  use  of  the 
whip.  The  force  is  so  directly  and  promptly  applied 
that  the  pupil  associates  it  entirely  writh  the  act  of 
disobedience. 

The  whip  is  not  even  remotely  a  substitute  for  the 
collar  in  teaching  this  order.  If  the  puppy  comes  in 
and  is  whipped,  he  observes  that  punishment  is  the 
result.  He  soon  shows  reluctance  in  coming  in  when 
there  are  grounds  to  suspect  a  whipping.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  collar  forces  him  to  obey,  and  then 
punishment  ceases.  If  the  trainer  then  caresses  him, 
thereby  indicating  that  he  has  done  quite  right,  he 
quickly  learns  that  obedience  results  in  that  which  is 
pleasurable  instead  of  that  which  is  painful. 

The  collar  punishes  the  dog  when  he  is  in  the  act 
of  disobedience;  the  whip  punishes  after  he  has 
obeyed.  Besides  being  promptly  effective  in  estab- 
lishing obedience,  the  collar  is  permanent  in  its  ef- 
fect. 


96  TRAINING    THE    HUNTING    DOG 

The  manner  of  applying  the  collar  is  simple.  It 
is  put  on  the  puppy's  neck,  with  twenty  or  thirty 
yards  of  strong,  light  cord  attached  to  it.  The 
trainer,  holding  the  end  of  the  cord  in  his  hand,  and 
the  pupil  being  any  number  of  yards  away  within 
the  compass  of  the  cord,  quietly  gives  the  order  and 
pulls  in  the  dog  at  the  same  time.  The  latter,  in  all 
probability,  struggles  and  attempts  to  run  away,  or 
furiously  he  may  attempt  to  fight  the  collar.  In  any 
case,  the  trainer  holds  him  steadily  till  his  flurry  is 
over.  He  soon  becomes  convinced  that  on  his  part 
the  attempt  to  meet  force  with  force  is  futile  and 
painful. 

No  attempt  at  schooling  should  be  made  till  the 
dog  ceases  struggling  and  is  reconciled  to  yield  to 
the  force  of  the  collar.  This  may  require  two  or 
three  minutes,  or  two  or  three  lessons,  according  to 
the  circumstances  of  the  case.  When  he  accepts  the 
cellar  peacefully,  give  the  command  "Come  in,"  and 
pull  him  in  within  reach  of  the  hand,  so  that  he  may 
be  petted  and  caressed  till  he  has  recovered  his  self- 
confidence  and  composure.  The  trainer  next  walks 
away,  repeats  the  order,  and  pulls  the  dog  in  again 
if  he  disobevs. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  97 

He  soon  notes  that  the  punishment  is  most  likely 
to  occur  when  he  is  away  from  his  handler,  and  will 
endeavor  to  follow  him  closely  about  as  he  walks 
away.  This  anticipation  of  the  order  may  be 
guarded  against  by  fastening  a  wooden  or  iron  pin 
to  the  cord  four  or  five  feet  from  the  collar  and 
sticking  it  in  the  ground.  The  trainer  then  walks 
away,  waits  a  few  moments,  gives  the  order  calmly, 
at  the  same  time  pulling  on  the  cord,  which  in  turn 
pulls  the  pin  out  of  the  ground,  thereby  permitting 
the  dog  to  come  in  promptly  if  he  will  do  so,  or, 
otherwise,  forcing  him  to  come  in. 

These  lessons  should  be  repeated  till  he  will  come 
in  promptly  to  the  order.  Next,  in  a  room  or  yard 
from  which  he  cannot  escape,  he  may  be  drilled  with- 
out the  collar.  If  he  disobeys,  it  is  put  on  him,  and 
the  forcing  process  is  repeated.  The  lessons  are  re- 
peated till  he  will  obey  from  habit. 

In  the  field  he  will  need  much  further  disciplin- 
ing in  this  as  in  other  branches  of  his  education,  as 
the  temptation  to  act  independently  is  a  great  incen- 
tive to  disobedience. 

A  proper  composure  and  deliberation  on  the  part 
of  the  trainer  add  greatly  to  thejefficacy  of  the  les- 


98  TRAINING  THE  HUNTING  DOG 

sons.  Hurry  and  senseless  violence  do  much  to  re- 
tard progress  in  this  as  in  all  other  branches  of  the 
dog's  education. 

A  long  blast  on  the  whistle  is  commonly  used  to 
denote  the  same  act  as  the  command,  and  it  is  taught 
in  precisely  the  same  manner. 

Notwithstanding  the  ease  and  thoroughness  with 
Avhich  "Come  in"  may  be  taught,  there  are  few  dogs 
which  are  properly  proficient  in  it.  At  field  trials, 
in  particular,  the  place  where  one  would  expect  to 
find  the  greatest  perfection  in  matters  of  obedience, 
it  not  infrequently  happens  that  the  trainer  engages 
in  a  laborious  task  when  he  attempts  to  bring  a  dog 
in  during  a  heat  or  at  other  times.  Some  field  trial 
handlers  find  it  necessary  to  keep  their  dogs  on 
chain  to  prevent  them  from  breaking  away  when 
they  desire  them  to  cease  work.  All  this  shows  rank 
neglect  of  the  proper  discipline  from  a  field  point  of 
view,  though  it  has  for  a  purpose  the  encourage- 
ment of  the  dog  to  remain  out  at  his  work  when  in 
competition,  regardless  of  the  whistling  or  ordering 
indulged  in  by  a*n  opposing  handler.  The  handlers* 
of  such  dogs,  independent  of  competitive  considera- 
tion, are  generally  satisfied  to  control  them  in  any 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  99 

kind  of  slipshod  manner  rather  than  to  take  the  more 
troublesome  and  efficient  method  of  teaching  the 
command  specially  till  it  is  thoroughly  inculcated  as 
a  matter  of  obedience. 


10O  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING  DOG 


CHAPTER  VII. 


"  is  the  order  commonly  used  to  denote 
that  the  dog  is  to  follow  behind  the  shooter.  There 
are  constantly  recurring  occasions  for  its  use,  such 
as  to  keep  the  dog  from  aimlessly  and  annoyingly 
running  about;  to  save  him  from  expending  his 
strength  in  working  out  unfavorable  or  barren 
ground;  to  prevent  him  while  in  town  or  country 
from  intrusive  visitations  to  yards  and  houses  while 
passing  them,  and  to  keep  him  generally  in  place 
when  the  shooter  desires  that  he  stop  hunting. 

Special  pains  should  be  taken  to  teach  perfect 
obedience  to  this  order,  as  it  is  essential  to  the  best 
control  of  the  dog  at  all  times,  and  it  is  particularly 
useful  when  two  or  more  dogs  are  to  be  handled 
afield  together. 

The  proper  obedience  to  this  command  is  not  es- 
tablished till  the  dog  will  come  promptly  to  heel 
when  ordered,  and  there  remain  reliably  and  quietly 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  IOI 

till  he  receives  the  order  or  signal  to  go  on,  and  all 
this  whether  the  eye  of  the  trainer  is  on  him  or  not. 
Restraining  the  dog  at  heel  betimes  rests  him  without 
any  lessening  of  the  day's  sport.  It  also  serves  as  a 
protection  to  him  from  the  attacks  of  vicious  curs, 
and  from  frittering  away  his  time  in  visiting  other 
curs  of  social  proclivities. 

Simple  as  is  the  act  required  in  response  to  this 
order,  and  notwithstanding  the  ease  with  which  it 
can  be  taught,  few  dogs  are  trained  to  obey  it  with 
even  a  reasonable  degree  of  observance.  Commonly 
as  taught  the  dog  comes  dawdling  in  with  contemptu- 
ous castings  to  the  right  and  left,  nosing  about  mean- 
while, and,  when  he  at  last  is  at  heel,  if  the  trainer 
takes  his  eyes  oft"  him  for  a  moment,  he  casts  back  to 
the  rear,  begins  hunting  in  the  wake  of  his  trainer, 
paying  visits  to  vagrant  curs,  or  pottering  about  in 
search  of  bones  and  garbage.  A  whipping  is  a  great 
benefit  to  the  offender  in  such  instances. 

The  first  lessons  in  teaching  this  command  may 
be  given  in  the  yard,  or  when  taking  him  for  a  run  in 
the  fields.  It  is  better  to  lead  him  with  a  cord  which 
is  held  in  one  hand  while  the  other  hand  holds  a 
whip. 


IO2  TRAINING   THE   HUNTING  DOG 

At  first  he  will  go  anywhere  rather  than  behind 
his  trainer,  and  may  exhibit  more  or  less  obstinacy 
and  resistance  if  his  inclination  is  opposed.  When 
walking  alone,  the  command  "Heel"  is  given,  at  the 
same  time  jerking  him  toward  the  rear  with  the 
cord.  If  he,  after  being  forced  to  the  rear,  attempts 
to  go  ahead  of  his  trainer,  he  should  be  whipped  back 
to  place,  the  trainer  being  careful  to  so  hit  him  that 
he  will  endeavor  to  get  behind  for  safety.  Then  the 
trainer  calmly  resumes  his  walk,  and  any  further 
attempts  to  lag  behind  or  to  force  ahead  are  to  be 
thwarted  as  at  first. 

If  he  is  resolutely  obstinate  and  resistant,  a  spike 
collar  should  be  put  on  him.  Then  if  he  charges 
ahead  or  sags  in  the  collar  in  a  refusal  to  go  at  all, 
or  if  he  struggles  to  escape,  a  pull  on  the  cord  will 
correct  him  and  bring  him  into  place  at  once.  If  he 
is  persistent  in  charging  ahead,  a  sharp  cut  or  two 
with  the  whip  will  make  him  retreat  to  his  place  in 
the  rear. 

At  every  correction  the  command  should  be  re- 
peated so  that  he  will  learn  to  associate  it  with  the 
act  of  taking  his  place  at  the  heels  of  the  trainer. 
This  should  be  persisted  in  till  he  will  walk  steadily 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  1 03 

at  heel.  However,  no  more  punishment  should  be 
inflicted  than  is  really  needed  to  enforce  the  com- 
mand. Regular  repetition  of  the  lessons  and  fidelity 
in  enforcing  obedience  to  details  should  be  relied 
upon  to  teach  steadiness  rather  than  violence,  long 
lessons  and  hurry. 

That  is  the  first  stage.  When  the  cord  and  collar 
are  removed  he  may  immediately  attempt  to  exercise 
his  own  pleasure.  He  must  then  be  taught  that  no 
liberties  will  be  tolerated,  whether  the  cord  restrains 
him  or  not.  The  trainer  should  keep  a  close  eye  on 
him,  and  if  he  dawdles  behind,  or  attempts  to  break 
away  to  the  rear,  he  should  be  forced  to  return  to 
his  proper  place,  punishment  being  given  according 
to  his  needs.  Nothing  short  of  implicit  obedience  to 
orders  should  be  accepted.  If,  from  the  beginning, 
he  feels  that  the  eye  of  the  trainer  is  upon  him,  he 
will  soon  cease  to  take  liberties  which  violate  orders. 

On  the  other  hand,  he  should  not  be  kept  so  con- 
tinuously at  heel  that  he  becomes  habituated  to  it, 
or  acquires  a  liking  for  it.  If  he  is  of  a  lazy  dispo- 
sition, or  easily  wearied,  he  quickly  learns  that  he  can 
have  greater  comfort  at  his  master's  heels  than  any  to 
be  found  elsewhere. 


IO4  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

After  a  time  the  discipline  will  be  firmly  inculcated 
and  habitual.  Then,  whether  the  trainer  is  afoot, 
horseback  or  in  a  wagon,  the  dog  will  reliably  and 
cheerfully  follow  behind  when  ordered  to  do  so. 

The  advantage  of  obedience  to  the  command  is 
specially  advantageous  when  two  dogs  are  used  at 
the  same  time  afield.  The  ability  to  keep  one  dog 
at  heel  in  a  trained  way  while  the  other  is  working 
is  a  material  advantage  in  many  ways ;  it  affords  an 
opportunity  to  rest  one  dog  while  the  other  is  at 
work;  it  is  a  means  of  quietly  restraining  one  dog 
when  interference  with  the  other  is  undesirable,  as  in 
roading,  drawing,  pointing,  etc. ;  and  it  has  a  general 
moral  effect  by  keeping  the  dog  in  proper  restraint 
when  he  is  not  engaged  in  the  work  at  hand. 

When  a  dog  is  to  be  worked  in  company  with 
other  dogs,  it  is  well  to  teach  him  to  go  on  from  heel 
by  merely  speaking  his  name.  Thus,  if  the  two  dogs 
A  and  B  are  at  heel,  and  the  trainer  wishes  the  for- 
mer to  begin  work,  he  utters  the  name  of  A,  looking 
him  in  the  eye  at  the  same  time.  If  B  starts  also, 
which  he  is  quite  likely  to  do  at  first,  he  must  in- 
stantly be  brought  back  to  heel  and  kept  there  till  the 
trainer  orders  him  out.  In  time  each  dog  will  learn 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  1  05 

that  when  he  hears  his  name  uttered,  when  at  heel,  it 
is  the  same  as  the  order  "Go  on." 

When  the  order  is  thoroughly  inculcated,  the 
trainer  can  take  his  dogs  along  following  at  heel,  and 
send  out  with  perfect  ease  any  dog  that  he  wishes  to 
send. 

"  OR  "DOWN  CHARGE." 


"Drop"  or  "Down  Charge"  or  "Charge"  are  terms 
commonly  used  to  signify  that  the  dog  is  to  lie  down, 
and  so  remain  till  ordered  up.  The  manner  of  teach- 
ing obedience  to  it  is  very  simple.  A  cord,  four  or 
five  feet  long,  is  tied  to  the  dog's  collar.  The  trainer 
holds  the  end  of  it  in  one  hand  while  with  the  other 
he  forces  the  dog  to  lie  down,  at  the  same  time  utter- 
ing the  command  "Drop."  A  tap  or  two  on  the 
shoulder  is  given  with  a  whip  if  he  attempts  to  rise. 
After  a  time  he  is  permitted  to  rise  and  the  lesson  is 
then  repeated. 

After  a  few  lessons  he  will  understand  the  mean- 
ing of  the  order,  but  may  be  disinclined  to  obey  it. 
Under  such  circumstances  the  trainer  holds  the  end 
of  the  cord  in  one  hand  and  utters  the.  order,  at  the 


106  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

same  time  hitting  the  dog  sharply  on  the  shoulder 
with  the  whip.  He  will  soon  drop,  and  punishment 
should  then  cease  instantly.  If  he  rolls  over  on  his 
back,  a  position  which  is  entirely  undesirable,  a  few 
light  taps  with  the  whip  on  his  paws  or  chest  will 
cause  him  to  turn  quickly  over  in  the  right  position. 
This  is  kept  up  day  after  day  till  the  pupil  will  drop 
promptly  to  the  order. 

If  the  trainer  desires  to  teach  him  to  drop  to  sig- 
nal, he  raises  his  right  hand  in  the  air  when  he  gives 
the  order,  so  that  the  dog  associates  it  with  the  com- 
mand. If  the  signal  alone  is  used  at  any  time  and 
the  dog  disobeys  it,  obedience  to  it  is  taught  in  man- 
ner precisely  the  same  as  in  teaching  the  oral  order. 

When  the  order  is  given  nothing  less  than  instant 
obedience  should  be  accepted.  No  nosing  about,  seek- 
ing for  a  good  place  in  which  to  lie  down,  or  other 
evasions  of  any  kind,  should  be  tolerated.  The  place 
where  the  dog  stood  at  the  time  of  the  command 
should  be  the  place  where  he  should  drop. 

Some  special  lessons  in  the  open  field  are  neces- 
sary to  make  him  reliably  obedient  therein.  A  strong 
wooden  pin  should  be  firmly  driven  into  the  ground, 
and  to  it  the  dog  is  tied,  leaving  him  with  twenty  or 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS. 

thirty  yards  of  free  cord.  He  is  then  made  to  drop 
close  by  the  pin.  The  trainer  then  walks  away,  and 
if  the  dog  follows  he  is  taken  back  to  place,  forced  to 
drop  and  properly  admonished.  If  he  attempts  to 
bolt,  the  cord  will  check  him. 

If,  however,  he  resolutely  persists  in  his  attempts 
to  bolt,  a  spike  collar  may  be  put  on  him,  and  after  he 
is  snubbed  by  it  once  or  twice  he  will  desist  from 
his  attempts  to  escape. 

He  is  taught  to  drop  to  shot  by  discharging  a  gun 
or  pistol  and  forcing  him  to  drop  to  the  report  pre- 
cisely as  if  it  were  the  word  of  command.  A  pistol 
with  a  light  powder  charge  is  most  commonly  used 
to  teach  him  this  branch.  Great  care  should  be  ex- 
ercised to  avoid  causing  gun-shyness,  and  no  attempt 
should  be  made  to  teach  dropping  to  shot  till  the 
dog  is  thoroughly  without  fear  of  the  gun.  How- 
ever, the  act  of  dropping  to  shot  is  of  no  special 
utility. 

Dropping  to  wing  may  be  classed  as  another  over- 
refinement.  It  has  no  special  advantages,  and  has 
many  distinct  disadvantages.  It  is  taught  by  mak- 
ing him  drop  to  wing  every  time  that  a  bird  flushes 
within  hearing  or  sight  of  him,  and  after  a  time  by 


IO8  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

adding  thereto  some  mild  punishment  if  he  is  slow  to 
understand  or  reluctant  to  obey.  However,  in  this 
respect  the  amateur  would  best  make  haste  slowly, 
very  slowly,  for  he  may  by  indirect  punishment  make 
the  dog  afraid  of  the  bird,  if  its  rise  is  associated 
with  too  much  pain.  Herein  lies  the  cause  in  many 
instances  of  the  serious  fault  called  "blinking." 


"Hold  up"  is  the  order  commonly  used  when  the 
trainer  desires  the  dog  to  rise  from  the  "Drop."  As 
it  is  in  accord  with  his  inclination  in  most  instances, 
it  is  quite  as  easily  taught  as  the  order  "Go  on."  A 
signal  of  the  hand,  accompanying  the  order,  is  un- 
derstood by  the  puppy  after  he  observes  it  a  sufficient 
number  of  times.  However,  if  he  should  happen  to 
be  of  a  sulky,  malicious  nature,  and  consequently 
reluctant  to  obey,  the  spike  collar  may  be  used  to  en- 
force obedience.  It  is  placed  on  his  neck,  with  a 
strong  piece  of  rope  attached  to  it.  The  trainer  gives 
the  order  "Hold  up,"  and  if  the  dog  refuses  to  obey, 
a  light  jerk  on  the  collar  or  a  repetition  of  light 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  1 09 

jerks  will  quickly  bring  him  to  his  feet.  This  lesson 
repeated  a  few  times  will  insure  prompt  and  per- 
manent obedience. 


"TOHO." 


"Toho"  is  the  order  which  signifies  that  the  dog 
is  to  stop  and  stand  still,  much  after  the  same  manner 
that  a  horse  is  supposed  to  respond  to  the  order 
"Whoa,"  though,  unlike  the  latter,  it  is  of  no  prac- 
tical use.  This  command,  if  properly  taught,  requires 
a  great  deal  of  pains  and  labor  on  the  part  of  the 
trainer,  besides  cumbering  the  mind  of  the  pupil  with 
a  term  and  its  significance  having  no  useful  purpose 
or  application  in  practical  field  work.  Theoretically, 
from  an  extremely  superficial  point  of  view,  as  the 
dog  stands  still  when  he  points  game,  there  would 
seem  to  be  a  most  useful  gain  in  furthering  the  act 
of  pointing  and  backing  by  teaching  him  to  stop  and 
stand  still  at  the  word  of  command.  In  practice, 
teaching  the  term  and  enforcing  obedience  to  it  re- 
tard rather  than  advance  the  training  of  the  dog. 

However,  the  older  writers  earnestly  set  forth  its 
importance  as  an  essential  to  the  dog's  proper  educa- 


I IO  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

tion,  and  made  much  of  it  accordingly.  It  was  con- 
sidered useful  in  teaching  both  pointing  and  backing, 
besides  being  of  spectacular  interest  at  almost  any 
time  that  the  dog  was  engaged  in  serious  work. 
When  he  was  feathering  near  the  game  on  which  he 
was  roading  or  drawing,  and  the  sharp  command 
"Toho"  caused  him  to  stop  and  stand  still,  it  was 
considered  that  the  act  came  near  to  being  a  point 
and  was  therefore  of  material  assistance  in  teaching 
the  real  point.  On  the  theory  that  the  trainer  teaches 
the  dog  to  point,  is  was  not  inconsistent  therewith, 
but  when  we  consider  that  the  trainer  does  not  teach 
the  dog  to  point,  and,  furthermore,  cannot  so  teach 
him,  the  uselessness  of  "Toho"  is  at  once  apparent. 
Nevertheless,  as  it  was  consistent  with  the  old  the- 
ories, it  served  a  useful  purpose  for  the  older  authors, 
who  were  not  so  intent  on  words  to  express  true 
knowledge  as  they  were  on  words  to  fill  a  book. 

"Toho"  is  a  most  difficult  order  to  teach  thor- 
oughly, and  still  more  difficult  to  enforce  afield  after 
it  is  taught.  If  the  trainer  disregards  all  else  per- 
taining to  training  and  makes  a  specialty  of  educat- 
ing the  dogs  to  obey  "Toho,"  by  the  time  he  has  ac- 
complished it  he  will  have  spent  much  more  time  and 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  Ill 

many  times  more  effort  than  would  be  required  to 
establish  correct  backing  and  pointing  without  it. 
Under  it  teacher  and  pupil  are  in  a  manner  slaves 
to  a  worthless  idea. 

After  it  is  taught,  with  much  labor  and  pains,  there 
is  but  little  opportunity  to  use  it  after  the  manner  set 
forth  in  the  older  books,  for  out  of  the  sum  total  of 
opportunities  presented  to  the  dog  to  point  birds,  the 
trainer  concerning  them  is  in  profound  ignorance 
of  the  proper  juncture  of  time  and  place  at  which  to 
order  the  dog  to  "Toho."  To  apply  the  order  intelli- 
gently, the  trainer  must  know  the  time  and  place  at 
which  the  dog  should  make  his  stand,  yet  ordinarily 
he  does  not  know  where  the  birds  are,  or,  indeed, 
whether  there  are  any  at  all.  If  by  any  chance  the 
trainer  sees  the  birds,  he  seldom  is  able  to  get  the 
dog  in  the  right  position  to  fit  the  order;  but  even  if 
he  succeeds  in  getting  him  to  the  right  place,  his  own 
sight  and  judgment  are  in  no  sense  a  substitute  for 
the  dog's  sense  of  smell  and  consciousness. 

The  meddlesome  attempt  to  force  the  dog  to  pro- 
ceed according  to  the  trainer's  thought  and  plans, 
with  the  incidental  bawlings  of  "Toho,  toho,"  etc., 
seldom  fails  to  flush  the  birds  and  confuse  the  dog. 


112  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

Conditions  which  make  all  clear  to  the  trainer's  sense 
of  sight  may  bt  conditions  which  do  not  in  the  least 
serve  the  dog's  sense  of  smell. 

If  the  dog  stops  to  the  order  without  having  scent 
of  the  birds,  it  is  a  meaningless  act  so  far  as  pointing 
is  concerned,  and  if  he  stops  to  order  when  he  has 
scent  of  them,  it  has  no  more  significance  of  a  point 
than  if  the  trainer  attempted  to  do  the  pointing  him- 
self. Ordinarily,  when  on  birds,  the  puppy  pays  no 
more  attention  to  the  command  "Toho"  than  he  does 
to  the  murmur  of  the  gentle  breezes.  If,  then,  there 
is  a  warfare  over  the  disobedience  it  is  obstructive  to 
his  best  advancement. 

If  obedience  is  at  length  pounded  into  him — and 
there  is  no  other  manner  of  enforcing  it  in  this  con- 
nection— interest  in  the  birds  is  incidentally  pounded 
out  of  him. 

Nevertheless,  some  of  the  old  school  will  stoutly 
maintain  that  dogs  are  beneficially  assisted  to  point 
by  the  aid  of  "Toho,"  although  dogs,  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  have  learned  to  point  and  back  in  spite  of  it. 

Punishment  in  reference  to  birds  is  the  source  of 
blinking. 

Even  for  the  benefits  advocated  for  "Toho"  the 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  1 1  3 

"Drop"  fulfills  all  requirements.  Let  us  assume  that 
the  handler,  for  any  good  reason,  desires  the  dog  to 
stop  when  reading.  He  gives  the  command  or  signal 
to  "Drop,"  and  the  dog  ceases  at  once.  Being  down 
he  cannot  sneak  forward,  as  he  can  when  standing 
up.  In  either  instance,  by  obedience  to  the  order,  the 
dog's  mind  is  diverted  from  his  work,  and  the  han- 
dler engages  his  attention  instead.  This  will  be  more 
apparent  by  referring  to  the  chapter  on  pointing, 
backing,  etc.,  in  this  work. 

If  the  trainer,  nevertheless,  desires  to  teach  it,  it 
can  be  made  a  part  of  the  yard  training,  and  is  best 
done  in  a  room  or  small  inclosure.  The  trainer  ties 
a  cord  to  the  dog's  collar  and  walks  him  around,  giv- 
ing betimes  the  command  "Toho,"  and  incidentally 
therewith  forcing  him  to  stand  still.  After  he  stands 
a  reasonable  length  of  time,  the  trainer  utters  the 
command  "Go  on,"  or  "Hie  on,"  and  then  the  walk 
is  resumed. 

Lessons  in  this  manner  should  be  conducted  day 
after  day  till  the  pupil  has  a  comprehension  of  the 
command,  and  after  he  shows  some  obedience  to  it 
he  may  be  trained  to  stop  on  his  dinner  or  pieces  of 
food.  A  piece  of  meat  may  be  thrown  out.  As  he 


114  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING    DOG 

rushes  eagerly  for  it  he  is  ordered  to  "Toho."  He 
refuses  to  obey,  as  a  matter  of  course,  and  the  cord 
in  the  trainer's  hand  checks  him  and  prevents  him 
from  seizing  the  meat.  He  is  forced  to  stand  still, 
notwithstanding  his  eagerness,  and  after  a  time  he  is 
ordered  on  and  permitted  to  eat  the  morsel.  At  his 
regular  meals  he  may  have  a  similar  training. 

These  lessons  are  persisted  in  till  at  length  the 
dog  will  stop  promptly  and  reliably  at  the  command 
or  signal  as  the  trainer  may  desire.  He  can  be  taught 
so  thoroughly  that  he  will  stop  to  order  at  every  step 
as  he  advances  to  the  dish  containing  his  food,  and 
can  be  held  on  the  "Toho"  with  his  nose  on  the  food. 
But  stopping  to  order  on  food  bears  no  relation  to 
a  point  or  the  purposes  of  a  point,  although  it  may  be 
considered  as  something  out  of  the  ordinary  in  the 
way  of  a  trick. 

The  arm  extended  at  less  than  a  right  angle  from 
the  body  is  supposed  to  be  the  best  signal  to  designate 
"Toho." 

ADMONITORY   ORDERS. 

"Hi"  and  "Ware"  are  exclamations  which  as  the 
trainer  chooses  may  be  used  as  a  warning  for  the  dog 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS. 

to  desist  from  undesirable  acts  in  which  he  is  en- 
gaged, or  to  attract  his  attention  to  a  signal.  Those 
consisting  of  a  single  word  are  best. 


IRREGULAR  COMMANDS. 

Long  commands,  such  as  "Come  here  to  me,  I  tell 
you,"  "Look  out,"  "What  are  you  about?"  "Why 
don't  you  hunt  out  that  corner,  you  fool?"  etc., 
should  be  avoided  if  it  is  within  the  power  of  the 
trainer  to  do  so.  However,  if  he  must  prattle  or 
perish,  it  is  better  to  prattle,  notwithstanding  that  it 
is  detrimental  to  the  dog's  best  service. 

The  notes  of  the  whistle  or  signals  used  to  denote 
certain  commands,  and  no  others,  should  be  used  in- 
variably, and  thus  they  will  always  have  a  fixed  and 
definite  meaning. 

Sometimes  the  beginner,  when  the  dog  is  on  birds 
or  seeking  for  them,  will  deliver  a  continued  dis- 
course mostly  devoted  to  the  dog's  utter  worthless- 
ness,  notwithstanding  that  the  dog  is  but  a  few 
months  old,  and  a  novice  in  respect  to  what  is  correct 
methods  or  wrong  methods. 


Il6  TRAINING   THE   HUNTING    DOG 

Having  taught  the  puppy  the  meaning  of  the  or- 
ders "Come  in"  and  "Go  on"  as  the  first  lessons,  the 
further  special  yard  training  may  profitably  rest  in 
abeyance  until  the  puppy  is  eight  or  ten  months  old, 
or  a  year  old  for  that  matter.  Under  proper  condi- 
tions he  then  begins  to  have  some  maturity  of  ideas, 
has  become  waywise,  if  he  has  had  proper  treatment 
and  freedom,  and  thus  from  his  own  perception  will 
intelligently  adjust  his  actions  to  the  governing  cir- 
cumstances of  his  life. 

In  teaching  these  commands,  one  thing  at  a  time 
should  be  the  rule.  By  observing  it,  the  puppy  will 
be  much  more  thoroughly  taught,  and  with  infinitely 
less  confusion  to  him  than  if  several  educationary 
branches  are  all  attempted  at  the  same  time. 

"Fetch"  and  "Seek"  are  commands  which  are  ap- 
plicable when  the  dog  is  desired  to  retrieve,  and  will 
be  treated  fully  under  that  head. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  1 17 

POINTING,  BACKING,  RANGING,  QUARTERING, 
DROPPING  TO  WING,  UNSTEADI- 
NESS, BRACE  WORK. 

"  i 
CHAPTER  VIII. 

POINTING. 

THE  pointing  instinct,  possessed  and  exhibited  by 
nearly  all  setters  and  pointers,  is  a  conspicuous  char- 
acteristic of  their  methods  in  capturing  "their  prey. 
Contrary  to  what  is  commonly  maintained,  it  has 
no  natural  reference  whatever  to  the  service  of  man- 
kind. 

Man  observes  that  he  can  usefully  apply  the  point- 
ing trait  to  his  own  profit,  and  he  utilizes  it  accord- 
ingly. In  like  manner  he  utilizes  the  powerful  horse 
as  a  beast  of  burden ;  his  speed  for  purposes  of  rapid 
transportation;  his  hide  for  good  leather;  yet  all 
these  properties  were  originally  for  the  horse's  own 
benefit. 

The  ability  to  point  well  is  essential  to  the  exist- 


Il8  TRAINING    THE   HUNTING   DOG 

ence  of  the  dog  when  in  a  wild  state,  since  it  is  a 
material  aid  to  him  in  the  struggle  for  existence.  In 
domesticity,  he  does  not  lose  the  instinctive  desire  to 
pursue  and  capture  prey.  He,  like  man,  has  the  hunt- 
ing instinct  strongly  present,  notwithstanding  the 
centuries  of  domestication.  He  easily  reverts  to  a 
wild  state,  utilizing  then  for  his  own  preservation  the 
powers  and  methods  which  man  rather  egotistically 
avers  were  implanted  in  him  for  the  benefit  of  man 
himself. 

'  Man  can  neither  force  nor  induce  a  dog  to  seek 
birds  if  the  latter  refuses  to  do  so;  and  he  does  so 
when  there  is  nothing  left  which  appeals  to  his  self- 
interest. 

His  involuntary  efforts,  exhibited  when  in  search 
of  prey,  man  restricts  within  certain  limits  to  his 
own  service,  and  thereby  appropriates  to  himself  the 
fruits  of  the  dog's  labors.  And  herein  is  where  many 
old  and  new  writers  have  erred  in  their  inferences. 
They  observed  that  the  dog  could  be  so  trained  that 
man  was  the  beneficiary  of  his  work,  and  they  rather 
illogically  deduced  that  therefore  the  instinct  was  ac- 
quired for  the  benefit  of  mankind. 

When  a  dog,  with  more  or  less  rigidity  of  posture. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  IIQ 

stops  to  the  scent  of  game  or  prey,  the  act  is  called 
pointing,  setting  or  standing.  It  is  observed  in  a 
more  or  less  rudimentary  state  in  all  dogs  which  are 
used  for  hunting  purposes,  and  is  sometimes  ex- 
hibited even  by  curs  which  have  no  pretensions  what- 
ever to  good  breeding,  or,  for  that  matter,  to  any 
breeding  at  all. 

The  following  excerpt  from  Stonehenge  has  fur- 
nished nearly  all  writers  their  data  for  the  origin  of 
the  pointing  instinct :  "The  setter  is,  without  doubt, 
either  descended  from  the  spaniel,  or  both  are  off- 
shoots from  the  same  parent  stock.  Originally — 
that  is,  before  the  improvements  in  the  gun  intro- 
duced the  practice  of  'shooting  flying' — it  is  believed 
that  he  was  merely  a  spaniel  taught  to  'stop'  or  'set' 
as  soon  as  he  came  upon  the  scent  of  the  partridge, 
when  a  net  was  drawn  over  the  covey  by  two  men. 
Hence  he  was  made  to  drop  close  to  the  ground,  an 
attitude  which  is  now  unnecessary,  though  it  is 
taught  by  some  breakers,  and  notably  to  fast  dogs, 
who  could  not  otherwise  stop  themselves  quickly 
enough  to  avoid  flushing.  Manifestly,  a  dog  prone 
on  the  ground  allowed  the  net  to  be  drawn  over  him 
better  than  if  he  were  standing  up ;  an4  hence  the  for- 


I2O  TRAINING   THE   HUNTING  DOG 

mer  attitude  was  preferred,  an  additional  reason  for 
its  adoption  being,  probably,  that  it  was  more  easily 
taught  to  a  dog  like  the  spaniel,  which  has  not  the 
natural  cataleptic  attitude  of  the  pointer.  But  when 
'shooting  flying'  came  in  vogue,  breakers  made  ine 
attempt  to  assimilate  the  attitude  of  the  setting  span- 
iel— or  'setter/  as  he  was  now  called — to  that  of  the 
pointer ;  and  in  process  of  time,  and  possibly  also  by 
crossing  with  that  dog,  they  succeeded,  though  even 
after  the  lapse  of  more  than  a  century  the  cataleptic 
condition  is  not  as  fully  displayed  by  the  setter  as  by 
the  pointer." 

It  would  be  difficult  to  crowd  into  the  same  amount 
of  space  more  trashy  nonsense  than  is  contained  in 
the  foregoing  quotation,  and  yet  it  has  served  writ- 
ers for  generations  as  good  warrant  for  asserting  as 
fact  what  it  merely  presents  as  probabilities. 

Modern  writers  do  not  hesitate  to  assert  that  the 
setter  is  derived  from  the  spaniel,  though  Stonehenge 
qualifies  it  by  stating :  "Or  both  are  offshoots  from 
the  same  parent  stock."  In  plain  words,  he  did  not 
know  what  they  were  derived  from.  Again,  it  is 
much  easier  to  evolve  the  dropping  attitude  from  the 
point  than  it  was  to  evolve  from  the  point  the  drop- 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  121 

ping  attitude.  The  instinct  which,  moreover,  is  con- 
ceded to  have  been  natural  to  the  pointer  has  a  far- 
fetched theory  most  laboriously  worked  out  to  ex- 
plain its  existence  in  the  setter.  Why  it  should  be 
natural  to  the  one  and  not  to  the  other,  Stonehenge 
leaves  it  to  the  reader  to  solve  as  best  he  can. 

He  also  treats  the  point  as  being  cataleptic,  and 
advances  that  trait  as  a  reason  why  it  was  necessary 
to  make  the  setter  drop  when  the  net  was  thrown 
over  him.  The  point  is  neither  cataleptic  nor  re- 
motely related  to  the  cataleptic  state.  The  pointing 
dog  is  keenly  alert  in  every  faculty.  His  eyes  glow, 
his  nostrils  play  as  they  inhale  the  scent,  his  judg- 
ment gauges  the  place  and  distance  of  the  prey,  and 
his  muscles  are  tense  and  ready  for  instant  action  in 
the  quick,  powerful  strike  to  seize  and  hold. 

It  also  is  extraordinary  that  "fast  dogs,  who  could 
not  otherwise  stop  themselves  quickly  enough  to 
avoid  flushing,"  could  stop  and  drop,  a  much  more 
difficult  feat  than  it  is  to  stop  and  stand  still.  It  is 
not  at  all  difficult  for  a  fast  dog  to  check  himself  at 
full  speed.  It  is  extremely  rare,  indeed,  when  it  is 
necessary  for  him  to  stop  instantly.  In  most  in- 
stances he  catches  the  scent  and  proceeds  to  locate, 


122  TRAINING   THE   HUNTING  DOG 

Any  cur  of  good  hunting  instinct  and  ability  may 
be  taught  to  hunt  and  point  birds  with  more  or  less 
success.  In  the  course  of  time  he  learns  that  capture 
in  the  pursuit  of  birds  is  consequent  to  silent  and 
careful  effort  only,  though  the  point  work  of  the  cur 
is  inefficient  and  unreliable  from  a  point  of  utility  as 
compared  with  that  of  the  pointer  and  setter. 

The  pause  to  capture,  called  pointing,  is  a  mere 
incident  in  the  exercise  of  the  general  purpose.  It 
may  have  even  a  wider  application,  as  exhibited  by 
hounds  or  curs  which  have  been  trained  to  road  and 
stop  on  deer,  keeping  close  in  front  of  the  deer  hunter 
while  so  roading  and  drawing,  and  timing  their  ef- 
forts with  exquisite  judgment  for  the  success  of  the 
gun. 

Strange  dogs,  meeting  on  the  highway  for  the  first 
time,  not  infrequently  stiffen  and  feather  as  they 
stealthily  draw  toward  each  other,  mimicking  am- 
bush and  attack,  or  preparing  for  actual  battle,  ac- 
cording to  their  whims  or  the  governing  circum- 
stances. The  uses  of  pointing,  as  exercised  in  the 
dog's  activities,  comprehend  a  much  greater  scope 
than  that  considered  by  sportsmen. 

Setters  and  pointers,  as  a  matter  of  reason,  employ 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  123 

distinct  methods  in  the  pursuit  of  fur  and  feather. 
When  in  the  pursuit  of  rabbits,  they  are  openly  vig- 
orous and  dashing,  give  tongue  merrily,  and  pay  no 
heed  to  cautious  effort.  When  the  rabbit  is  afoot 
they  trust  largely  to  their  swiftness  and  endurance  to 
effect  a  capture.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  rabbit  is 
lying  concealed  they  endeavor  to  compass  his  capture 
by  craft,  much  after  the  method  employed  on  birds. 
When  in  the  pursuit  of  birds  they  are  silent,  pains- 
takingly cautious,  and  tense  from  uncertainty.  They 
draw  then  as  closely  as  possible  before  making  the 
final  pause  and  spring  to  surprise  and  capture. 

These  different  methods  are  a  necessity  from  the 
different  circumstances  governing  the  different  cases. 
They  are  self-evident  when  we  consider  that  the  rab- 
bit must  remain  on  the  earth's  surface ;  that  it  leaves 
a  trail  of  scent,  which  is  ever  a  clue  for  its  pursuer 
to  follow;  and  that  the  battle  cries  of  the  latter  so 
alarm  and  confuse  it  that  its  capture  is  made  easier 
thereby.  On  the  other  hand,  the  birds,  having  wings, 
must  not  be  alarmed  at  all  if  a  capture  is  to  be  ef- 
fected, for  alarm  is  equivalent  to  escape.  It  thus  is 
clear  that  the  different  methods  employed  are  im- 
posed necessarily  from  the  circumstances  of  the  case, 


124  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

Nor  are  these  peculiarities  of  method  employed 
solely  by  the  dog.  Foxes  draw  on  rabbits  and  grouse 
in  a  similar  manner.  Cats  have  an  analogous  man- 
ner of  drawing  on  birds  and  vermin ;  indeed,  as  they 
often  venture  the  attempt  to  capture  birds  in  the 
most  open  places,  they  exhibit  even  greater  degrees 
of  craft  and  caution. 

We  may  safely  conclude  that  as  it  is  a  natural  trait 
of  the  pointer,  it  therefore  is  an  equally  natural  trait 
of  the  setter,  as  it  also  is  more  or  less  a  trait  of  all 
other  dogs  and  animals  which  seek  birds  and  small 
animals  as  prey. 

Not  infrequently  the  pointing  instinct  is  exhibited 
at  a  very  early  age,  and  in  rare  instances  it  is  dor- 
mant past  the  age  of  maturity.  Usually  young  pup- 
pies are  profoundly  affected  by  the  scent  of  game 
birds  or  the  sight  of  other  birds.  On  the  latter  they 
will  draw  and  point  by  sight,  springing  after  and 
chasing  them  the  moment  that  they  take  wing.  At 
first,  under  the  stimulus  of  their  purpose,  they  rush 
heedlessly  in  to  capture,  and  failing  it  they  chase 
senselessly  and  riotously. 

Failure  develops  great  caution.  As  they  grow 
older  they  use  their  noses  more  and  exercise  greater 


J'-<>U  TH.F.  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  125 

craft.  As  to  methods,  they  vary;  they  are  deter- 
mined by  the  intelligence  and  idiosyncrasies  of  the 
individual. 

A  precocious  display  of  pointing  does  not  in  the 
least  indicate  that  the  puppy  making  it  is  superior  to 
his  fellows,  for  it  requires  no  high  degree  of  mental 
or  physical  ability  to  stand  on  a  point.  The  act, 
moreover,  may  be  done  foolishly  and  aimlessly,  as 
any  other  act  may  be  done. 

The  nose  of  the  dog  requires  a  certain  degree  of 
training  to  become  a  discriminating  organ  of  scent. 
Skill  in  its  use  therefore  comes  from  experience. 
Commonly  the  first  efforts  of  puppies  at  pointing  are 
awkward  and  inefficient. 

Different  kinds  of  effort  are  indicated  by  certain 
scents,  as  the  body  scent  and  the  foot  scent,  and  by 
different  degrees  of  intensity  of  the  same  scent.  The 
best  manner  of  following  the  scent,  wind  and  char- 
acter of  the  ground  considered,  is  also  an  important 
factor.  If  the  dog  presses  too  closely  on  the  birds 
he  flushes  them  ;*if  he  stops  too  far  away  from  them 
he  is  outside  of  the  limits  wherein  he  can  make  a 
successful  spring,  and  therewith  a  reasonably  suc- 
cessful attempt  at  capturing  them.  If  he  runs  about 


126  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING  DOG 

over  the  trail  aimlessly  or  potters  to  and  fro,  the  birds 
may  run  entirely  away  from  him. 

Errors  in  the  first  attempt  are  to  be  expected.  The 
dog  learns  methods  only  by  his  successes  and  fail- 
ures. After  a  time  his  judgment  and  functional 
powers  of  nose  become  so  developed  and  trained  that 
he  can  discriminate  between  the  body  scent  and  the 
foot  scent,  and  when  pointing  can  estimate  with  pre- 
cision the  whereabouts  of  the  concealed  birds. 

The.  purpose  of  the  point,  is  twofold ;  the  dog  when 
set  eTndeavors  to  accurately  locate  the  birds  by  his 
powers  of  scent,  and  he  then  is  in  a  better  position  to 
spring  vigorously  to  capture.  When  he  makes  his 
point  every  muscle  is  at  its  utmost  tension.  The 
opening  and  closing  jaw  regulates  the  intake  of  air 
so  that  the  nostrils  will  not  be  disturbed  in  their  act 
of  nice  discrimination ;  the  eyes  are  set  with  a  fixed, 
bloody  purpose.  He  may  determine  in  an  instant 
the  whereabouts  of  the  birds,  or  it  may  take  him  some 
moments.  When  he  is  satisfied  that  he  has  them  lo- 
cated he  springs  in  with  astonishing  energy  and 
quickness,  and  many  times  is  successful  in  capturing 
before  the  birds  can  take  wing,  or,  taking  wing,  he 
may  capture  before  they  can  get  beyond  his  reach. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS. 

He  can  spring  a  few  feet  before  a  bird  can  rise  from 
the  ground  a  like  distance.  He  makes  many  mis- 
takes nevertheless.  Sometimes,  through  eddies  of 
wind  or  bad  judgment,  he  may  jump  in  the  wrong 
direction,  or  he  may  make  his  stand  too  far  away 
from  the  birds  and  when  he  makes  his  spring  he  falls 
far  short  of  reaching  them,  etc.  Dogs  in  this  respect 
vary  greatly  in  skill. 

The  points  of  the  dog,  as  they  are  naturally  made 
in  furtherance  of  his  own  purposes,  as  shown  when 
he  is  not  trained  or  but  half  trained,  have  a  vigor  and 
intensity  which  are  much  greater  than  those  of  the 
trained  dog.  In  time  the  points  of  the  latter  gradu- 
ally become  more  or  less  perfunctory.  He  learns 
that  he  must  not  spring  forward  to  capture,  and  that 
therefore  there  is  no  need  to  set  himself  rigidly  for  it 
He  may  even  become  slouchy  on  point,  and  some 
dogs  learn  to  lie  down  instead  of  standing  up,  as  a 
dog  on  point  naturally  should  do. 

All  dogs,  however,  which  lie  down  on  point  do 
not  do  so  as  a  matter  of  ease  or  indifference.  Some 
do  so  as  a  matter  of  education ;  others  as  a  matter  of 
caution,  sneaking  forward  very  close  to  the  ground 
when  on  trail,  and  dropping  to  the  ground  betimes 


128  TRAINING    THE    HUNTING   DOG 

for  the  purpose  of  concealment,  something  after  the 
manner  in  which  cats  stalk  their  prey.  Their  alert- 
ness in  playing  to  the  gun  is  not  diminished  by  being 
deprived  of  the  pleasure  of  springing  to  capture ;  they 
are  intent  on  intelligently  assisting  the  success  of  the 
gun,  and  by  being  instrumental  in  the  capture  their 
self-interest  is  preserved. 

The  trainer,  diverting  the  dog's  efforts  in  seeking 
game,  preserves  as  much  as  possible  all  the  dog's 
pointing  methods  up  to  the  juncture  whereat  he  has 
located  the  birds,  stands  to  collect  himself  and  is 
ready  to  spring  in,  to  flush  and  capture. 

The  flush  and  capture  are  all  that  the  dog  is  taught 
to  forego.  The  point  is  useful  to  the  shooter;  the 
flush  is  not.  Therefore  the  dog  is  indulged  in  the 
exercise  of  his  own  self-interest  in  so  far  as  permit- 
ting him  to  find  and  point  birds;  further  than  that 
he  may  not  go  without  offense. 

As  mentioned  hereinbefore,  the  dog  in  his  first  at- 
tempt should  be  permitted  to  seek  and  point  and  flush 
in  his  own  manner,  the  trainer  exercising  some  judg- 
ment as  to  how  much  experience  is  necessary  to  bring 
him  to  the  proper  stage  for  training  to  the  gun. 

The  matter  of  whether  the  dog  is  headstrong  or 


FOR  fHE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  I2O, 

timid,  or  quick  or  slow  to  learn,  or  whether  the  op- 
portunities are  meagre  or  abundant,  etc.,  is  for  the 
exercise  of  the  trainer's  judgment.  There  is  no  ar- 
bitrary rule  to  determine  it. 

When  the  proper  time  arrives  for  steadying  the 
puppy  on  point,  if  he  flushes  he  is  brought  back  to  the 
place  where  he  should  have  pointed  and  there  is 
forced  to  remain  till  he  recovers  from  his  excitement 
and  foregoes  his  purpose.  As  the  flush  is  repeated 
opportunity  after  opportunity,  the  trainer  evinces 
more  and  more  disapproval  by  scoldings  and  more  or 
less  punishment,  according  to  the  requirements  of 
the  case. 

At  length,  when  the  puppy  has  been  taught  what 
is  required  of  him,  if  he  springs  in  and  flushes  he  is 
more  severely  punished.  As  to  how  much  punish- 
ment is  necessary  the  trainer  must  exercise  some  nice 
judgment.  Some  dogs  require  very  little ;  others  re- 
quire a  great  deal  of  punishment.  In  time,  the  dog 
observes  that  the  gun  is  a  powerful  adjunct,  and  he 
works  to  it  intelligently  to  obtain  the  greater  advan- 
tages of  co-operation. 

The  trainer  is  most  likely  to  err  in  hurrying  too 
much.  He  is  anxious  to  have  the  puppy  pointing  at 


I3O  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING    DOG 

once,  and  he  is  apt  to  use  the  whip  too  soon  and  too 
often  in  consequence. 

There  is,  in  this  connection,  a  certain  difficulty  in 
making  the  dog  understand  that  the  pursuit  of  the 
birds  is  not  for  his  own  benefit;  that  he  is  to  stop 
short  where  his  every  natural  impulse  is  to  go  on, 
and  that  punishment  has  reference  to  steady  pointing 
and  thus  to  the  interests  of  the  shooter. 

By  injudicious  punishment  the  dog  may  mistak- 
enly understand  that  he  has  done  wrong  in  finding 
the  birds  at  all,  and  thereafter  when  near  birds  he 
may  shy  away  from  and  quietly  leave  them  so  as  to 
avoid  the  war  which  is  likely  to  ensue  if  he  happens 
to  flush  them.  This  act  is  called  blinking,  and  is 
about  the  worst  fault  that  a  dog  can  have.  Not  in- 
frequently weeks  are  required  to  cure  it,  and  tl 
trainer  who  was  the  cause  of  it,  from  the  fear  he  ii 
spires  in  the  pupils,  is  unable  to  cure  it.  A  change  o. 
trainers  is  therefore  then  necessary.  This  alone 
should  make  clear  the  need  of  proper  deliberation  in 
training  the  dog  to  stanchness  on  point. 

Excessive  violence  defeats  its  own  ends.  The  dog 
cannot  be  taught  to  point  if  he  has  no  inclination  to 
do  so.  The  instinct  is  slow,  to  develop  in  some  dogs. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS. 

be  latent  for  one  or  two  years.  If  the  dog 
\vs  good  capabilities  otherwise,  he  should  not  be 
condemned  because  he  is  disinclined  to  point  in  his 
puppyhood. 

The  self-interest  of  the  dog  may  be  excited  by  acts 
which  are  pleasurable  or  profitable,  or  both  com- 
bined. Seeking  birds  is  such  an  enthralling  passion 
that  he  will  submit  to  much  painful  restriction  before 
he  will  desist,  though  in  time  he  can,  by  improper 
punishment,  be  forced  to  do  so. 

By  habit  the  dog's  nose  becomes  his  chief  organ 
of  sense.  He  relies  on  it  implicitly.  If  his  master 
returns  after  a  short  or  long  absence,  though  he  may 
see  him  distinctly,  he  will  circle  around  till  he 
catches  scent  of  him,  thus  verifying  his  eyesight, 
after  which  he  is  perfectly  satisfied  of  correct  identi- 
fication. 

If  it  should  happen  that  the  trainer  so  dominates 
the  pupil,  or  that  the  latter  is  so  subservient  that  he 
is  disinclined  to  take  any  independent  initiative,  or 
that  he  is  slow  to  engage  in  hunting,  it  is  better  to  let 
him  have  a  course  of  self-hunting  under  the  trainer's 
supervision.  That  is  to  say,  when  working  the 
puppy  afield,  the  trainer  permits  him  to  seek  in  his 


132  TRAINING  THE  HUNTING  DOG 

own  unhindered  manner.  The  distinction  between 
self-hunting,  under  the  trainer's  supervision,  and  in- 
dependent self-hunting  should  be  noted.  Dogs  there- 
by acquire  great  skill  and  confidence  in  the  applica- 
tion of  methods,  developing  their  intelligence  and 
knowledge  to  an  astonishing  degree. 

The  unrestrained  pursuit  of  prey  is  the  dog's 
greatest  pleasure.  Once  he  learns  independent  self- 
hunting,  on  opportunity  he  will  steal  away  from 
home  to  indulge  in  it.  He  seeks  the  companionship 
of  vagrant  boys  or  dogs  which  are  inclined  to  hunt 
like  himself,  which  gives  him  the  freedom  from  re- 
straint which  he  so  much  values.  When  on  an  inde- 
pendent self-hunt  the  duration  of  his  absence  is 
sometimes  measured  by  the  degree  of  fatigue  which 
he  can  suffer,  at  other  times  by  the  degree  of  hunger, 
or  by  the  degree  of  hunger  and  fatigue  combined. 
Sometimes  he  may  be  absent  a  few  hours ;  sometimes 
several  days,  returning  thereafter  in  a  state  of  skin 
and  bone,  worn,  weary  and  famished.  When  seek- 
ing thus  for  himself  he  will  plod  cheerfully  through 
mud  and  snow;  will  swim  cold  streams  of  water; 
will  work  in  brush  and  brier ;  will  gallop  bravely  into 
woods  and  open,  ever  eager  to  find  and  capture, 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  133 

rarely  desisting  until  physical  exhaustion  prevents 
him  from  engaging  further  in  the  pursuit.  This 
may  be  beneficial  to  dogs  of  excessive  timidity,  but 
on  the  whole  it  is  better  to  restrict  the  self-hunting  to 
the  limits  set  by  the  trainer. 

However,  the  dog  in  one  independent  self-hunting 
outing  learns  more  than  he  learns  in  weeks  when 
under  the  domination  of  his  trainer.  Then  all  the 
natural  hunting  qualities  and  inclinations  which  are 
born  in  him  have  the  free  play  unhindered.  Self- 
hunting  he  learns  to  follow  the  trail  with  quickness, 
precision  and  enthusiasm ;  to  distinguish  the  forward 
from  the  back  trail;  the  body  scent  from  the  foot 
scent ;  the  places  which  are  likely  to  be  and  which  are 
not  likely  to  be  the  haunts  of  birds ;  and  to  mark  the 
flight  of  flushed  birds  and  its  probable  length.  In 
short,  he  learns  the  values  and  relations  of  all  the 
circumstances  which  are  to  be  considered  in  the  mat- 
ter of  pursuit  and  capture. 

On  the  other  hand,  once  that  the  dog  has  learned 
the  delights  and  freedom  of  independent  self-hunt- 
ing there  is  no  breaking  him  from  indulging  in  it. 
He  will  sneak  away  whenever  opportunity  and  in- 
clination impel  to  it,  prowling  for  miles  everywhere 


134  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

throughout  the  surrounding  country,  generally  in  the 
company  of  some  other  dog  or  dogs  of  like  proclivi- 
ties. Confinement  is  the  only  preventive  of  such 
acts.  However,  this  self-hunting  proclivity  may  not 
in  the  least  affect  his  zeal  in  working  to  the  gun  when 
opportunity  offers. 

The  trainer  should  endeavor  to  afford  ample  op- 
portunities to  the  pupil,  and  to  this  end  an  old,  level- 
headed dog  is  a  great  assistant  both  as  to  finding  the 
birds  and  as  to  example. 

When  the  dog  makes  his  points,  the  trainer  seeks 
to  prolong  them  as  much  as  possible.  He  walks 
calmly  up  to  the  dog's  side,  strokes  him  gently  along 
the  back,  and  gently  restrains  him  from  breaking  in. 
This  is  repeated  time  after  time,  gentleness  and  ap- 
proval being  exhibited  when  he  does  right  and  dis- 
creet disapproval  when  he  does  wrong. 

If  he  is  particularly  obstinate  or  self-willed,  a 
check  cord,  or  a  spike  collar  and  check  cord,  may  be 
used  to  advantage.  The  cord  should  have  a  light 
iron  snap,  such  as  is  used  on  parts  of  harness,  at- 
tached to  one  end  of  it.  This  enables  the  trainer  to 
quickly  snap  it  in  the  ring  of  the  dog's  collar  without 
fuss  or  delay.  With  the  check  cord  the  dog  can  be 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  135 

easily  kept  under  .control  when  on  point,  so  far  as 
breaking  in  is  under  consideration. 

The  spike  collar  should  be  used  with  careful  mod- 
eration. The  average  amateur  does  more  harm  in 
the  use  of  it  than  he  does  good,  although  the  same 
may  be  asserted  equally  of  the  whip  or  any  other  in- 
strument of  punishment.  At  all  events,  the  use  of  it 
should  be  eschewed  in  all  but  the  most  obstinate,  self- 
willed  cases,  and  in  those  cases  if  the  trainer  loses  his 
temper  when  using  it.  A  great  deal  of  care  is  some- 
times necessary  to  avoid  such  faults  as  blinking, 
trainer  shyness,  etc.,  when  schooling  the  dog  to 
stanchness  on  point. 

In  these  early  experiences  the  gun  may  be  obstruc- 
tive to  the  pupil's  advancement.  It  may  with  ad- 
vantage be  kept  in  abeyance  during  the  first  lessons. 
It  is  not  essential  in  teaching  the  pupil  a  proper  de- 
gree of  stanchness.  He  quickly  learns  its  use,  and 
when  it  is  fired  he  has  such  an  uncontrollable  eager- 
ness to  secure  possession  of  the  bird  that  for  a  time  he 
is  lawless.  On  the  other  hand  the  average  amateur 
is  himself  so  over-eager  to  kill  birds  that  the  training 
of  the  dog  is  a  remote  matter  when  the  opportunity 
to  kill  is  presented,  so  that  what  should  as  much  as 


136  TRAINING    THE    HUNTING   DOG 

possible  be  an  orderly  matter  of  schooling  is  then  a 
disorganized  scramble  between  man  and  dog. 

However,  as  to  the  use  of  the  gun,  there  are  excep- 
tional cases  which  will  be  benefited  by  it.  Slothful, 
indolent  dogs  require  the  stimulus  of  successful  cap- 
ture, and  there  are  others,  again,  which,  after  work- 
ing a  time  without  material  result,  lose  interest  and 
cease  effort.  The  trainer's  own  judgment  must  be 
his  guide  under  such  circumstances. 

When  the  dog  is  pointing  or  attempting  to  point 
he  should  be  permitted  to  do  so  in  his  own  natural 
manner.  It  is  best  to  refrain  from  giving  any  cau- 
tion or  order  till  he  either  points  or  flushes.  If  the 
trainer  is  one  out  of  a  hundred  he  can  do  so,  but  if  he 
is  one  of  the  other  ninety-nine  he  must  either  bawl 
out  orders  or  suffer  untold  anguish.  Orders  and 
multiplication  of  orders,  however,  no  more  assist  a 
dog  in  learning  to  use  his  nose  than  they  assist  a  man 
in  guiding  himself  to  find  a  needle  by  the  sense  of 
feeling  in  the  dark — less  so,  in  fact,  for  the  dog  does 
not  comprehend  the  meaning  of  many  words. 

After  the  dog  flushes,  the  trainer  may  caution  him 
or  punish  him  according  to  the  requirements  of  the 
case,  as  it  was  done  intentionally  or  not,  He  then 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  137 

associates  the  displeasure  with  some  definite  event 
which,  being  painful,  he  seeks  to  avoid.  Uninten- 
tional flushes  should  never  be  considered  a  cause  for 
punishment,  and  this  should  hold  good  in  respect  to 
all  other  mistakes. 

By  permitting  him  to  point  or  flush  in  his  own 
way  he  learns  what  method  results  in  error  and  what 
in  success.  Furthermore,  left  to  his  own  judgment 
he  learns  to  go  to  his  birds  without  hesitation  or 
apprehension  of  trouble,  and  points  them  at  an  intel- 
ligent estimate  of  distance,  neither  too  far  away  from 
nor  too  close  to  them.  In  the  case  of  timid  dogs, 
actual  encouragement  may  be  necessary,  and  even 
wilful  flushes  may  need  to  be  indulgently  tolerated. 

Unless  a  steady,  well-trained  dog  can  be  used  as  a 
bracemate  for  the  green  puppy,  it  is  better  to  work 
him  alone  till  he  is  fairly  stanch.  If  the  trainer  can- 
not work  one  puppy  according  to  rule,  it  requires  no 
argument  to  demonstrate  that  he  cannot  work  two 
or  more. 

The  pointing  of  barnyard  fowls  by  sight  should  be 
discouraged  as  much  as  possible.  The  education  de- 
rived from  it  does  not  in  the  least  assist  the  trainer 
when  schooling  the  dog  afield,  The  latter,  when 


138  TRAINING    THE    HUNTING   DOG 

working  to  the  gun,  points,  in  the  great  majority  of 
instances,  by  the  sense  of  smell,  and  if  he  then  seeks 
to  point  by  sight,  as  he  does  when  dallying  with  the 
barnyard  fowls,  he  flushes  oftener  than  he  points. 

The  functional  powers  of  dogs'  noses  vary  greatly. 
Of  two  dogs  of  equal  intelligence,  pace  and  stamina, 
one  may  far  excel  the  other  in  finding  and  pointing, 
and  this  due  alone  to  the  greater  keenness  of  his  nose. 
Many  unintentional  errors  are  made  by  dogs  whose 
noses  are  dull.  An  intelligent  dog,  with  such  infirm- 
ity, will  possibly  develop  into  a  useful  performer,  his 
superior  knowledge  enabling  him  to  use  his  nose  to 
the  best  advantage. 

As  to  the  length  of  time  required  to  establish  the 
point  stanchly,  nothing  can  be  said  definitely.  It  all 
depends  on  the  pupil  and  the  trainer's  ability  to  per- 
mit him  to  learn.  After  a  short  schooling,  some 
dogs  of  a  gentle,  deferential  nature  learn  to  point 
quickly  in  the  interests  of  the  gun,  and  even  defer  to 
a  bracemate,  preferring  the  back  to  the  point.  Some- 
times, when  they  observe  their  fellow  reading,  they 
play  to  take  the  back,  thus  anticipating  the  act  of 
pointing.  Others  again  play  to  get  to  the  front  at 
the  earliest  possible  moment  when  a  point  is  impend- 


FOR  THE  FIELD  Ax\TD  FIELD  TRIALS.  139 

ing.  However,  as  a  general  proposition,  several 
weeks  are  required  in  which  to  properly  school  the 
dog  to  stanch  point  work,  and  sometimes  this  degree 
of  proficiency  is  not  reached  till  well  into  the  second 
season,  and  in  rare  instances  into  the  third.  Occa- 
sionally the  trainer  will  come  across  a  dog  which 
never  can  be  taught  to  point  reliably. 

While  the  point  when  applied  naturally  is  for  the 
dog's  individual  advantage,  by  experience  and  the 
exercise  of  intelligence  he  learns  to  use  it  conjointly 
with  the  efforts  of  the  shooter  in  the  common  purpose 
to  capture.  It  is  an  amplification  of  the  team  work 
which  he  displays  when  working  as  a  member  of  a 
pack  or  of  a  brace.  He  in  time  learns  that  the  cap- 
ture is  effected  by  joint  effort,  even  though  such 
effort  at  first  was  a  matter  of  disagreeable  compul- 
sion. After  practical  application  has  demonstrated 
the  uses  of  schooling,  he  applies  his  efforts  with  great 
skill,  and  becomes  original  in  manipulating  the  vari- 
able circumstances  in  a  manner  best  calculated  to 
serve  the  interests  of  the  gun.  To  him  a  subordinate 
part  is  infinitely  preferable  to  no  part  at  all.  This 
alone  is  sufficient  to  appeal  to  his  self-interest,  which 
is  analogous  to  that  of  the  little  boy  who  beseeches 


I4O  TRAINING    THE    HUNTING   DOG 

the  privilege  of  accompanying  his  big  brother  afield 
that  he  may  carry  the  game  which  is  killed. 

The  self-interest  and  consequently  the  efforts  of 
the  dog  are  easily  maintained,  if  he  is  not  excessively 
mistreated  under  a  mistaken  practice  of  training,  or 
mistreated  from  a  mistaken  play  of  ill-temper. 

The  style  of  a  point  is  considered  a  matter  of  first 
importance  by  some  sportsmen,  so  much  so  that  they 
assert  that  they  would  rather  kill  one  bird  over  a 
magnificently  spectacular  point  than  many  over  a 
commonplace  one.  Nevertheless,  there  is  a  distinc- 
tion between  looking  for  pictures  and  looking  for 
birds.  A  flashy  hit-or-miss  dog,  with  high-pressure 
legs,  running  across  birds  might  make  a  point  of  in- 
comparably greater  beauty  than  that  of  a  dog  which 
worked  out  his  points  methodically  and  intelligently. 

The  dog  with  a  high  grade  of  bird  sense  rarely 
makes  spectacular  points.  His  work  is  of  an  all-day 
character,  and  he  conducts  it  after  the  manner  of  an 
all-day  workman.  It  is  judgment  and  method  as 
compared  to  snap  work,  the  methodical  professional 
against  the  enthusiastic  amateur.  Not  that  beauti- 
ful point  work  is  objectionable,  nor  that  good  dogs 
now  and  then  do  not  possess  it,  but  it  has  not  the 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELf)  TRIALS. 

exaggerated  importance  bestowed  on  it  by  the  sports- 
man who  values  the  spectacular  manner  over  useful 
matter. 

The  first  requisite  of  the  setter  and  pointer  is  to 
find  birds ;  the  manner  of  it  is  incidental.  Very  few 
shooters  who  in  the  parlor  declaim  in  ecstasy  over 
the  thrills  and  tremors  of  a  sensational  point  live  up 
to  the  ideal  when  in  the  field.  Then  a  point  is  a 
point.  If  beautiful  so  much  the  better,  if  it  is  a  true 
point;  if  false,  so  much  the  worse.  At  all  events, 
when  a  shooter  goes  afield  with  a  gun  and  dog  it  is 
safe  to  assume  that  the  spectacular  point  is  beautiful 
as  an  incident,  though  it  is  not  the  main  purpose. 

Some  dogs  from  extreme  caution  learn  to  drop  to 
point.  Others  again,  from  getting  lost  on  point,  be- 
come weary  of  waiting,  lie  down  to  rest  and  learn 
it  therefrom,  while  others,  again,  which  have  been 
taught  to  drop  to  shot,  learn  to  drop  in  anticipation 
of  the  flush,  which  is  gradually  evolved  into  drop- 
ping to  point. 


142  TRAINING   THE   HUNTING   DOG 


CHAPTER  IX. 

BACKING. 

BACKING.,  backsetting  and  backstanding  denote 
the  act  of  one  dog  standing  more  or  less  rigidly  by 
sight  to  the  point  of  another  dog.  The  backing  dog 
generally  assumes  much  the  same  attitude  when 
backing  that  he  does  when  pointing,  though  in  many 
instances  the  rigidity  and  intenseness  therein  are  less. 
Not  infrequently  some  backing  dogs  stand  in  a  slack 
position,  as  they  do  naturally  when  there  are  no 
points  at  all  to  consider. 

However  enthusiastic  and  spirited  may  have  been 
the  backs  at  first,  they  in  time,  as  the  enthusiasm  of 
youth  and  novelty  pass  away,  generally  become  per- 
functory. The  dog  learns  that  the  purposes  of  the 
back,  as  enforced  by  the  trainer,  are  repressive, 
that  he  is  not  to  interfere  with  the  pointing  dog,  and 
that  therefore  there  is  nothing  of  self-interest  in  it 
for  himself.  The  backing  act,  which  the  dog  dis- 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  143 

played  with  a  natural  purpose,  is  nevertheless  gen- 
erally persisted  in  from  education  and  habit. 

As  to  its  origin,  backing  is  an  act  resulting  from  a 
process  of  reason,  a  perception  of  cause  and  effect, 
and  is  of  use  to  the  dog  individually  when  a  member 
of  a  pack.  Some  dogs  take  readily  to  backing  as 
taught  by  man,  others  are  induced  with  much  diffi- 
culty to  observe  it,  and,  again,  others  cannot  be  in- 
duced to  back  at  all.  Much  depends  upon  the  intel- 
ligence and  temperament  of  the  individual  as  to 
whether  he  will  back  or  not. 

The  natural  act  of  backing  has  no  reference  what- 
ever to  a  man  with  a  gun,  who  desires  that  his  pur- 
poses with  it  shall  not  be  obstructed. 

It  has  been  maintained,  as  against  the  theory  and 
practice  of  intelligent  backing,  that  the  dog,  first 
pointing  the  birds  instinctively  that  a  man  might  the 
better  kill  them  thereby,  also  backed  instinctively  on 
occasion  so  that  he  would  not  interfere  with  the  dog 
which  was  pointing,  and  thus  would  not  jeopardize 
the  success  of  the  shooter.  In  support  of  this  con- 
tention, the  fact  that  the  young  puppies,  when  point- 
ing sparrows  and  other  small  birds  in  the  kennel  yard 
and  elsewhere,  back  each  other,  was  adduced  as  proof 


TRACING   THE   HUNTING   DOG 

positive  of  the  instinctive  origin  of  the  act  So 
much,  by  the  old,  and  in  most  instances  superficial, 
writers,  was  ascribed  to  instinct  by  way  of  explain- 
ing the  dog's  acts  that  one  could  justly  wonder  why 
the  dog  had  brains  at  all ;  or,  having  them,  why  he 
used  them  so  little. 

How  this  act  which  could  be  taught  to  but  a  rela- 
tively small  number  of  the  canine  race,  has  to  all  the 
race  become  instinctive  by  inheritance,  and  how 
many  other  acts,  taught  to  dogs  generally,  have  not 
become  likewise  instinctive,  is  left  by  the  old  writers 
for  the  reader's  own  solution.  However,  if  a  writer 
does  not  understand  certain  phenomena  of  dog  life, 
there  is  no  easier  way  to  dispose  of  it  than  to  boldly 
assert  that  it  is  instinctive. 

As  to  the  pointing  and  backing  of  puppies,  as 
above  mentioned,  the  superficial  observer  failed  to 
note  that  the  point  is  followed  by  a  chase  of  the  little 
birds  when  flushed.  The  dogs  have  an  instinctive 
impulse  to  pursue  their  prey,  and  in  intelligent  meth- 
ods of  successful  pursuit  they  are  astonishingly  pre- 
cocious. 

Let  us  follow  the  first  attempts  of  the  puppies  and 
observe  thereby  their  rapid  educational  evolution. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  145 

They,  seeing  a  sparrow  on  the  ground  hopping  about, 
sneak  quickly  toward  it  and  then  dash  at  full  speed  to 
seize  it;  it  flies  away  and  they  give  full  chase,  some- 
times giving  tongue  merrily.  Similar  rash  attempts 
result  in  failures.  After  a  brief  experience  of  this 
kind  they  quickly  learn  that  the  birds  can  fly,  and 
that,  in  open  pursuit  of  them,  a  capture  is  impossible. 
Then  they  observe  greater  precaution  and  therefrom 
approximate  nearer  to  success.  By  sneaking  craftily 
on  the  birds,  the  chances  of  getting  within  a  better 
striking  distance  are  many  times  increased,  and  by 
making  play  to  the  pointing  dog  the  backing  dog  is 
in  a  strategic  position  to  head  the  prey  off  or  turn  it 
to  the  pointing  dog.  Thus  the  back  is  simply  a  part 
of  the  team  work  in  the  attempt  to  capture. 

Team  work,  of  which  backing  is  a  part,  is  one  of 
the  first  things  learned  by  all  breeds  of  dogs  which 
have  an  opportunity  to  hunt  in  company.  It  is  anal- 
ogous to  the  running  cunning  of  the  greyhound. 
Two  puppies,  intent  on  capturing  a  barnyard  fowl, 
show  this  unmistakably.  One  draws  up  and  points ; 
the  other  backs.  The  alarmed  fowl  walks  away; 
the  pointing  puppy  draws  forward;  the  backing 
puppy  whips  stealthily  around  to  head  off  the  fowl, 


146  TRAINING   THE   HUNTING   DOG 

and  then  they  have  it  between  them  in  a  hazardous 
position.  Left  to  themselves  in  their  attack  upon  it, 
they  display  pretty  team  work,  so  far  as  intelligent 
management  and  effort  are  concerned. 

This  also  is  frequently  the  manner  employed  to 
capture  a  rabbit  or  other  animal  which  is  lying  con- 
cealed from  view,  and  whose  whereabouts  is  known 
only  by  the  sense  of  smell. 

In  drawing  on  the  little  birds  by  sight,  the  puppy 
employs  much  the  same  strategic  efforts  that,  in  his 
more  mature  years  and  more  serious  efforts,  he  em- 
ploys in  drawing  on  game  birds  by  the  use  of  his 
nose.  The  efforts  by  sight  are  applied  in  the  first 
crude  attempts ;  the  efforts  by  nose  are  applied  in  the 
skilful  manner  which  comes  from  experience  and 
knowledge,  though  both  come  from  the  instinctive 
impulse  to  seek  game  animals  for  food. 

In  the  pursuit  of  fur  the  setter  and  pointer  draw 
on  it  in  much  the  same  manner  that  they  do  on  birds, 
but  with  less  caution.  For  instance,  if  a  rabbit  is 
jumped  they  pursue  it  hotly,  giving  tongue  eagerly 
the  while.  On  birds  they  are  silent,  as  they  need 
must  be  if  they  are  to  achieve  success.  There  are 
exceptions  to  this,  rare,  however;  some  setters  and 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  147 

pointers  whimper  and  give  tongue  on  a  trail  much 
after  the  manner  of  a  rabbit  dog. 

Let  us  now  consider  the  dog  more  specifically  as  a 
member  of  a  pack  and  also  consider  the  intelligent 
team  work  which  such  membership  imposes.  He 
much  prefers  to  work  with  one  of  his  own  kind.  The 
joint  efforts  of  a  number  are  far  more  certain  to  re- 
•nlt  in  success  than  are  the  efforts  of  the  lone  indi- 

lual.  Therefore,  whether  wild  or  domestic,  they 
, .  -;uch  prefer  to  hunt  with  each  other. 

Wolves  take  distinct  parts  in  the  struggle  to  effect 
-a  capture.  One  or  two  may  make  a  sham  attack  on 
a  cow  while  others  seize  and  kill  her  momentarily 
uarded  calf.  Coyotes  have  been  known  to  sta- 
K-n  themselves  with  excellent  judgment  in  such 
manner  and  places  that,  as  one  or  more  of  their  num- 
ber pursued  the  fleeing  antelope,  it  passed  by  the  oth- 
ers in  turn,  and  each  in  turn  took  up  the  pursuit  and 
relieved  the  pursuer,  so  that  the  antelope  was  pitted 
against  a  relay  of  wolves. 

The  greyhound,  when  pursuing  animals  as  swift 
or  swifter  than  itself,  invariably  learns  to  run  cun- 
ning if  he  is  permitted  to  have  even  a  moderate  con- 
tinuous experience. 


148  TRAINING   THE   HUNTING  DOG 

In  running  cunning,  when  two  or  more  are  pursu- 
ing together,  one  dashes  forward  at  full  speed  to 
press  the  fleeing  jack  rabbit,  antelope,  etc.,  while  his 
fellow  is  running  less  swiftly  behind.  The  purpose 
of  the  leading  hound  is  to  press  the  prey  to  a  turn 
from  its  course.  If  he  succeeds,  instantly  his  fellow 
dashes  forward  at  top  speed  across  the  angle  thus 
formed,  heading  the  prey  off  if  possible,  and  in  any 
event  getting  closer  up  to  it.  He  then  takes  up  the 
running,  while  his  fellow  behind  watches  alertly  for 
the  next  turn,  and  when  it  comes  he  cuts  across  the 
corner.  Sometimes  the  hindmost  dog,  without  losing 
speed,  will  rear  high  up  so  that  he  may  see  over  the 
leading  dog,  and  thereby  note  what  the  prey  is  doing. 

Every  time  that  a  turn  is  made  the  prey  runs  on 
two  sides  of  a  triangle,  while  the  hindmost  dog  runs 
on  but  one.  This  is  a  sufficient  advantage  in  favor 
of  the  dogs  to  insure  their  final  success.  After  the 
hindmost  dog  can  cut  in  ahead  of  their  prey,  there 
then  is  a  dog  in  front  and  one  in  the  rear  of  it,  and  it 
is  in  a  perilous  situation.  The  backing  dog  may  be 
said  to  be  backing  cunning,  for  it  is  analogous  in  its 
purposes  to  the  runnng  cunning  of  the  greyhound. 
Either  act  is  but  one  of  many  similar  ones. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  149 

The  country  dog,  be  he  cur  or  otherwise,  has  some 
neighboring  dog  with  which  he  is  on  friendly  terms, 
and  which  he  seeks  as  company  for  his  prowling 
expeditions  through  the  woods  and  fields.  In  time 
the  self-hunters  learn  all  the  strategy  essential  to 
success.  If  they  approach  a  brush  pile  which  gives 
good  promise  of  a  rabbit,  do  they  go  up  to  it  to- 
gether? That  is  not  their  procedure  after  they  be- 
come educated.  One  advances  to  the  pile  to  start 
the  rabbit,  while  the  other,  in  manner  similar  to  that 
of  the  backing  dog,  takes  a  strategic  position  to  seize 
it  when  it  springs  from  cover,  or  failing  to  do  so, 
that  he  may  turn  it  to  his  fellow  with  a  good  chance 
of  capture. 

All  the  acts  of  dogs  when  hunting  together  have  a 
direct  bearing  to  the  common  purpose,  as  it  refers 
directly  to  their  own  interests — that  is  to  say,  the 
capture.  Their  knowledge  and  skill  thus  come  from 
intelligence  and  experience.  That  the  acts  are  some- 
times learned  very  quickly  proves  none  the  less  that 
they  are  so  derived.  In  no  other  manner  could  they 
be  acquired. 

Backing  has  a  direct  reference  to  the  capture  of 
the  prey,  and  is  conclusively  proven  by  the  well- 


150  TRAINING   THE   HUNTING  DOG 

known  fact  that  an  intelligent  dog,  even  when  most 
thoroughly  trained,  will  refuse  to  back  a  dog  which, 
within  his  observation,  false  points  a  few  times.  He 
observes  that  the  false-pointing  dog  is  unreliable,  and 
that  as  there  is  nothing  to  the  point  to  be  pursued  or 
captured,  so  there  is  no  use  in  preparing  to  seize  or 
pursue.  This  also  denotes  that  the  act  refers  to  him- 
self, and  not  a  man  with  a  gun. 

In  practical  field  work  the  only  material  advantage 
of  backing  is  that  it  prevents  interference  with  the 
pointing  dog,  although  it  has  the  sentimental  value 
of  being  pleasing  to  the  eye  as  a  spectacular  act. 

In  such  instances  as  a  man  shoots  alone  and  owns 
but  one  dog,  it  is  not  of  the  slightest  importance 
whether  his  dog  will  point  or  not.  But  when  dogs 
are  hunted  together,  it  is  of  importance  that  they  be 
made  steady  to  back;  or,  if  they  will  not  back,  then 
that  they  be  taught  to  drop  promptly  to  order. 

A  dog  which,  refusing  to  break,  either  presses 
ahead  to  steal  the  point  or  flush  the  birds,  will  thor- 
oughly spoil  more  sport  than  all  other  causes  com- 
bined. Some  dogs,  otherwise  good,  behave  very 
badly  when  working  with  a  dog  which  refuses  to 
back.  Under  such  conditions  they  misbehave  gen- 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  15! 

erally.  They  will  not  submit  to  their  points  being 
stolen;  they,  rather  than  tolerate  interference,  will 
wilfully  go  ahead  and  flush  to  prevent  any  points  be- 
ing made  at  all,  or  perform  so  resentfully  and  jeal- 
ously that  the  standard  of  the  work  is  ragged  and 
poor.  Therefore,  when  a  dog  is  pointing  no  other 
dog  should  be  permitted  to  interfere  with  him. 

Backing  well  and  stanchly,  while  not  indispen- 
sable, is  an  accomplishment  which  puts  a  needed  and 
useful  finish  to  the  work  of  dogs  when  in  company 
afield  with  their  fellows,  and  besides  being  pleasing 
to  the  eye,  it  adds  to  the  pleasure  and  ease  of  the 
shooter  in  handling  them,  and  thus  to  the  success  of 
the  gun. 

Until  the  dog  has  learned  the  purposes  of  point- 
ing, he  shows  no  inclination  to  back.  Thus  puppies 
which  are  raised  alone  have  no  knowledge  of  what 
the  act  of  pointing  means,  though  they  very  quickly 
learn  it  on  proper  opportunity. 

In  teaching  the  puppy  stanchness  to  the  back,  it  is 
best  to  have  an  old,  reliable  dog  to  do  the  pointing. 
The  point  being  made,  the  puppy's  attention  is  at- 
tracted to  it,  with  as  little  noise  and  fuss  as  possible. 
With  an  exaggerated  caution  of  movement  and  man- 


152  .     TRAINING   THE   HUNTING  DOG 

ner,  the  trainer  endeavors  to  impress  on  him  the 
gravity  and  importance  of  the  event.  After  he  ob- 
serves that  birds  are  to  the  point,  he  will  acquire  an 
enthusiastic  interest  in  it  on  his  own  account. 

Commonly  the  puppy's  first  efforts  will  be  spirited 
attempts  to  flush.  They  are  the  natural  acts  of  igno- 
rant puppies.  After  a  few  or  many  lessons,  when 
the  pointing  dog  engages  the  interest  of  the  puppy, 
and  the  latter  is  well  in  hand,  the  trainer  walks  for- 
ward to  flush.  If  the  puppy  attempts  to  follow,  he  is 
taken  back  to  the  spot  whence  he  started  and  cau- 
tioned. The  trainer  acts  slowly,  gravely,  patiently 
and  quietly  if  he  acts  aright.  The  portentous  man- 
ner will  not  fail  to  impress  the  puppy  as  he  notes  it 
in  conjunction  with  the  point. 

Dogs  are  exceedingly  imitative.  This  the  trainer 
may  readily  observe  by  assuming  a  crouchy,  stealthy 
manner  in  an  open  field,  as  if  he  were  stalking  some 
prey.  The  dog  will  likely  imitate  his  actions.  How- 
ever, it  is  not  wise  in  this  manner  to  deceive  a  dog, 
as  it  tends  to  impair  his  confidence  in  the  deceiver. 

Whenever  the  puppy  attempts  to  press  forward 
when  on  back  he  must  be  cautioned  or  be  taken  to 
the  place  whence  he  started.  This  impresses  on  him 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  153 

that  he  is  not  to  go  forward  when  his  fellow  is  point- 
ing. The  cord  and  peg  may  be  applied  usefully  to 
keep  him  in  place  if  he  is  difficult  to  manage. 

After  the  birds  are  flushed  and  a  kill  is  made,  the 
puppy  will  gain  a  comprehension  of  the  purposes  of 
the  acts.  Some  puppies  learn  to  back  quickly ;  with 
others  it  may  be  necessary  to  repeat  the  lessons 
through  many  days  or  weeks. 

Even  after  weeks  of  teaching,  a  puppy  may  seem 
to  have  no  interest  in  backing,  yet  some  day  when 
he  comes  suddenly  and  unexpectedly  on  his  brace- 
mate  pointing,  he  may  astonish  and  gratify  his 
trainer  by  backing  instantaneously  and  well.  The 
trainer  may  devise  ways  to  run  him  on  sight  of  the 
pointing  dog  when  he  does  not  suspect  a  point,  ar- 
ranging, however,  to  be  in  a  position  to  interpose  if 
he  attempts  to  steal  the  point  or  to  flush. 

Pointers  as  a  rule  are  much  more  easily  taught  .to 
point  and  back  than  are  setters.  Some  dogs  are  so 
deferential  that  they  will  play  to  take  the  backing 
position  the  moment  that  they  see  their  fellow  mak- 
ing game,  while  others  will  steal  the  point  on  oppor- 
tunity, or  back  and  draw  alternately  till  the  point  i§ 
stolen  or  the  birds  are  flushed. 


154  TRAINING  THE   HUNTING  DOG 

It  is  a  branch  of  training  in  which  the  trainer  must 
use  infinite  tact  and  patience.  Nothing  is  gained  by 
hurry.  Punishment  will  deter  the  pupil  from  run- 
ning in  on  a  pointing  dog,  and  to  that  extent  it  is  of 
value,  but  it  does  not  teach  him  how  to  back.  It 
may,  however,  teach  him  to  blink. 

By  persistent  attempts  to  enforce  the  act  of  back- 
ing there  will  be  but  few  cases  which  will  result  in 
failure.  On  the  other  hand,  half-hearted  and  fitful 
attempts  will  result  in  many  failures.  Persistency, 
common  sense,  patience  and  tact  in  applying  methods 
and  affording  opportunities  are  essential  factors  in 
this  branch  as  they  are  in  all  others. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  155 


CHAPTER  X. 

ROADING  AND  DRAWING. 

ROADING  and  drawing  are  terms  used  to  denot: 
the  act  of  the  dog  in  locating  the  birds,  by  the  func- 
tional powers  of  the  nose  which  he  possesses. 

Roading  more  specifically  applies  to  following  the 
foot  scent ;  drawing  to  following  the  body  scent.  Col- 
loquially speaking,  the  effort  of  the  dog  to  determine 
the  whereabouts  of  the  birds,  after  he  has  struck  their 
trail  or  caught  the  scent  of  them,  is  called  "locating." 

Generally,  aside  from  the  individual  differences 
of  manner  which  all  dogs  exhibit,  one  compared  with 
another,  setters  and  pointers  follow  birds  in  two 
ways ;  namely,  by  the  foot  scent  or  the  body  scent. 
When  following  by  foot  scent  the  dog  devotes  his 
attention  to  following  the  course  of  the  birds  in  all 
its  windings,  using  his  nose  to  distinguish  the  scent 
which  hovers  around  the  tracks,  as  the  handler,  in  an 
analogous  manner,  might  use  his  eyes  to  distinguish 
and  follow  them. 


156  TRAINING   THE   HUNTING   DOG 

In  following  the  foot  scent,  dogs  vary  in  skill  from 
that  of  the  potterer  which  puzzles  about,  following 
the  back  or  forward  track  with  equal  stupidity  and 
inefficiency,  to  that  of  the  dog  which  roads  with 
methodical  celerity  and  accuracy. 

A  reasonable  degree  of  quickness  is  essential  to 
fair  performance.  The  longer  and  further  the  birds 
run  ahead  of  .the  roading  dog,  the  greater  likelihood 
is  there  of  complications  which  may  result  in  the  loss 
of  the  trail,  or  their  secure  refuge  in  dense  cover,  or 
their  escape  by  wing.  Dogs  which  follow  by  the 
foot  scent  carry  a  lower  nose,  as  a  rule,  than  do  those 
which  follow  by  the  body  scent. 

The  dog  which  locates  by  body  scent  is  guided  by 
the  particles  of  scent  floating  in  the  air,  though  his 
nose  may  be  only  at  such  height  as  he  naturally  car- 
ries it.  When  he  catches  a  scent,  however  faint,  he 
darts  quickly  to  and  fro,  following  it  up  quickly  till 
it  becomes  strong  enough  to  follow  direct  to  the 
birds.  It  is  analogous  to  the  manner  which  a  man 
might  be  supposed  to  adopt  if  he  caught  scent  of 
roses  in  the  field  and  followed  the  clue  up  to  the  rose 
bushes  from  which  the  fragrance  emanated. 

A  dog  whose  nose  is  keen  and  whose  brain  is  sound 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  1  5J 

will  locate  his  birds  with  astonishing  quickness  by 
the  body  scent,  but  there  are  different  grades  of  per- 
formers in  this  method,  as  there  are  also  in  the  one 
aforementioned. 

Whichever  style  of  ''locating"  is  used  by  the  dog, 
to  be  a  successful  finder  of  birds  it  is  necessary  that 
he  be  able  to  determine  the  forward  track  from  the 
backward  track,  and  to  locate  the  hiding  place  of 
the  birds  with  a  reasonable  degree  of  quickness. 
The  accomplishment  of  pointing  stanchly  is  of 
but  little  utility  if  the  dog  cannot  find  the  birds  to 
point. 

Whether  they  locate  by  foot  scent  or  body  scent, 
clogs  vary  greatly  when  compared  with  each  other 
in  respect  to  proficiency  in  locating.  To  strike  scent 
some  trust  to  their  speed  and  the  consequent  wide 
area  which  they  beat  out,  pointing  the  birds  well 
when  they  happen  to  run  across  them.  Such  dogs 
may  have  distinctly  inferior  ability  in  following  a 
scent,  and  yet,  by  pointing  with  much  firmness  and 
spirit  when  squarely  on  the  birds,  they  may  create  a 
much  better  impression  than  a  less  pretentious  but 
more  meritorious  performer.  Wide  range,  high 
speed,  and  spirited  points  are  not  necessarily  indica- 


158  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING  DOG 

tive  of  good  finding  and  locating  ability.  There  are 
many  sham  "high- class"  performers. 

Whether  ranging  fast  or  slow,  the  dog  should  have 
his  mind  concentrated  on  the  use  of  his  nose,  as  well 
as  on  beating  out  the  ground  with  good  judgment. 
When  ranging  in  this  manner  he  will  pick  up  light 
scents  and  follow  them  to  a  successful  find ;  will  de- 
tect the  scent  of  a  trail  which  he  is  running  squarely 
across,  and  will  have  in  mind  the  leewrard  side  of  all 
places  as  the  best  route  to  follow,  thus  "having  the 
wind"  of  the  birds  from  the  covers  in  which  they  lie 
hidden.  In  the  results,  there  are  all  the  differences 
between  those  of  intelligent,  finished  effort,  and  those 
of  chance  effort  applied  hit  or  miss. 

Brains  are  quite  as  essential  to  the  successful  use 
of  the  nose  as  they  are  in  any  other  line  of  effort.  A 
dog  with  keen  powers  of  scent  and  a  dull  brain  may 
do  fragments  of  brilliant  work  betimes  when  the  cir- 
cumstances happen  to  combine  favorably,  but  as  a 
whole  his  work  is  irregular,  ragged  and  unsatisfac- 
tory. On  the  other  hand,  a  dog  with  a  good  brain 
and  a  dull  nose  may  do  quite  satisfactory  work. 

Why  two  dogs,  highly  intelligent  and  possessing 
good  noses,  the  one  following  by  foot  scent,  the  other 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  159 

by  body  scent,  should  vary  so  much  in  their  respective 
methods  of  locating  is  not  known.  Men,  however, 
vary  quite  as  much  in  the  methods  employed  in 
shooting,  some  aiming  the  gun,  others  snap  shooting 
by  a  sense  of  direction,  others  again  shooting  without 
much  aiming  or  sense  of  direction,  trusting  largely 
to  a  beneficent  providence  or  the  law  of  chances  for 
material  results. 

Whichever  method  the  dog  adopts  naturally  in 
locating  is  his  best  method.  Locating  by  following 
the  foot  scent  is  inferior  to  locating  by  following  the 
body  scent,  but  the  trainer  is  powerless  in  respect  to 
enforcing  the  better  method  if  the  dog  choose  to 
adopt  the  other.  However,  he  can  do  much  to  mar 
it  by  ill-timed  interference  or  persistent  meddlesome- 
ness. 

The  habit  of  perpetually  cautioning  and  checking 
the  dog,  to  make  him  go  slow  when  he  is  reading  or 
locating  birds,  a  fault  displayed  by  most  amateur 
trainers,  should  be  avoided.  The  effort,  on  the  con- 
trary, should  be  directed  toward  encouraging  the 
dog  to  locate  as  quickly  as  possible,  consistently  with 
his  ability  to  do  so  truly  and  properly.  In  this  rela- 
tion, the  trainer  would  do  well  to  bear  in  mind  that 


l6o  TRAINING    THE    HUNTING    DOG 

there  is  an  important  distinction  between  quickness 
and  hurry. 

Some  dogs  have  the  ability  to  locate  either  by  fol- 
lowing the  foot  scent  or  the  body  scent,  conducting 
themselves  according  to  the  conditions  governing  at 
the  time  in  the  interest  of  the  best  success.  Dogs  of 
inferior  range,  yet  skillful  in  locating,  and  with  good 
judgment  in  planning  their  work  besides  having  the 
power  to  concentrate  their  minds  on  it,  not  infre- 
quently distinguish  themselves  as  excellent  field  per- 
formers. 

The  trainer  should  not  tolerate  any  pottering  work 
when  a  dog  is  puzzling  on  the  foot  scent.  Drive 
him  from  the  pottering  with  the  whip.  The  dog 
which  habitually  sniffs  at  a  single  track  one  after  an- 
other, returning  to  the  same  tracks  time  after  time  to 
sniff  them  again,  as  if  he  liked  them  for  their  own 
sake,  thus  leaving  the  trail  to  get  cold  and  lost,  is 
worthless.  To  be  of  any  value  in  locating  he  must 
road  a  little  faster  than  the  birds  run,  otherwise  they 
will  run  clear  away  from  him.  On  the  other  hand, 
when  the  dog  is  picking  out  the  trail  and  is  actually 
going  ahead  on  it,  it  is  better  then  to  leave  the  matter 
entirely  to  him.  No  theory  of  the  trainer  as  to  where 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  l6l 

the  birds  have  rim  should  be  opposed  to  the  doings 
of  the  dog  wheri  he  is  reading.  Even  if  the  trainer 
actually  knows  where  the  birds  are,  he  should  permit 
the  dog  to  find  them  in  his  own  way. 

If  the  trainer  is  seeking  to  secure  a  shot  as  a  mat- 
ter of  first  consideration,  the  schooling  of  the  dog 
then  is  necessarily  secondary  to  it.  The  pupil  must 
learn  to  locate  by  his  own  experience,  and  the  trainer 
can  do  but  little  more  than  to  present  to  him  the  op- 
portunities to  exercise  his  powers  in  that  respect. 

A  simple  illustration  will  enable  the  novice  to  bet- 
ter understand  the  distinction  between  foot  scent  and 
body  scent.  Let  it  be  assumed  that  on  a  dry  plain  a 
small  body  of  sheep  have  passed  by.  He  desires  to 
follow  them,  but  they  are  out  of  sight.  He  notes 
that  their  tracks,  which  are  quite  plain  in  a  few 
places,  indistinct  or  entirely  lost  in  others,  are  fol- 
lowed with  more  or  less  difficulty,  according  to  their 
continuity  or  their  faintness  or  clearness  of  imprints. 
However,  it  is  noted  that  there  is  a  perceptible  line 
of  dust  along  and  over  the  trail.  It  is  quite  visible 
to  the  eye.  By  following  it  at  high  speed  by  sight 
before  it  is  dissipated  by  the  breeze,  the  flock  may 
be  accurately  followed  and  overtaken.  The  particles 


162  TRAINING  THE   HUNTING  DOG 

of  dust  visible  to  the  eye  in  this  case  correspond  to 
the  particles  of  body  scent  which  the  dog  follows  by 
the  sense  of  smell,  and  the  tracks  are  analogous  in  a 
way  to  the  trail  left  by  the  birds. 

The  best  of  dogs  will  occasionally  make  mistakes, 
and  this  may  be  truthfully  said  of  the  best  of  men 
also.  Mistakes  made  when  the  dog  is  endeavoring 
to  do  his  best  should  always  be  silently  overlooked. 

The  puzzle  peg,  a  device  intended  to  be  tied  on  the 
dog's  under  jaw,  in  such  a  position  that  it  projects 
some  three  or  four  inches  forward  on  it,  was  an- 
ciently devised  to  make  him  carry  a  high  nose  and 
thus  force  him  to  follow  the  birds  by  their  body 
scent.  It  is  a  useless  and  cruel  instrument  in  prac- 
tice, hence  description  of  it  is  unnecessary.  All  me- 
chanical means  are  useless  unless  when  applied  to 
correct  in  the  nose  a  cause  which  exists  in  the  brain. 
It  is  better  to  permit  and  encourage  the  dog  to  seek 
in  his  best  manner  as  his  nature  impels  or  permits. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  163 


CHAPTER  XL 

RANGING. 

To  THE  novice  the  manner  in  which  a  dog  seeks  his 
prey  is  a  matter  of  but  little  consideration,  for,  if  the 
latter  gallops  out  in  search  of  birds,  or  even  gallops 
at  all,  if  he  will  but  continue  galloping  it  would  seem 
that  nothing  more  were  necessary  or  requisite.  It, 
however,  is  far  from  being  such  a  simple  matter.  \ 

In  practice  the  novice  will  sooner  or  later  find  that 
a  dog,  though  he  be  of  great  range  and  speed,  may 
have  distinctly  inferior  finding  abilities.  Good  heels 
require  good  brains  and  noses  to  direct  them. 

The  best  ranger  is  the  dog  which  "stays  out  at  his 
work,"  beating  out  the  likely  ground  in  front  and  on 
both  sides  of  the  general  course,  and  all  this  with 
such  method  and  regularity  as  the  nature  of  the 
ground  best  permits.  His  judgment  should  be  so 
good  that  he  forecasts  the  course  of  the  shooter  in  a 
general  way,  or  determines  it  by  wise  observation, 


164  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

and  keeps  it  ever  as  a  base  of  operations  from  which 
to  work. 

Let  us  assume  that  the  dog  is  seekingquail.  Bare  or 
unpromising  country,  such  as  plowed  ground,  closely 
grazed  pasture,  etc.,  he  skirts  or  entirely  avoids.  He 
notes  such  covers  to  the  right  and  left  as  are  likely 
to  afford  a  habitat  for  the  birds,  and  he  ranges  from 
one  of  them  to  the  other,  observing  due  economy  in 
following  his  course  so  that  he  will  cover  the  most 
ground  with  the  least  galloping  consistent  with  tHe 
work  to  be  done.  He  goes  through  cover  when  in 
his  wise  judgment  it  is  necessary  to  do  so  to  insure 
the  best  chances  of  success;  or,  taking  the  wind  to 
the  best  advantage,  he  gallops  along  other  stretches 
of  cover  which  are  likely  to  be  used  by  the  birds  as  a 
place  of  refuge.  Sometimes  he  skirts  around  an  en- 
tire field  to  hit  off  the  trail  of  moving  birds,  while  at 
other  times  he  goes  through  it,  accordingly  as  the 
wind,  scenting  conditions,  etc.,  dictate.  From  ex- 
perience he  learns  the  kinds  of  ground  which  the 
birds  most  frequent,  and  the  times  of  day  in  which 
they  are  most  likely  to  be  found  in  them. 

When  the  birds  are  plentiful  he  beats  out  a  much 
smaller  area  of  ground  than  when  they  are  scarce. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  165 

In  the  broad  prairie,  the  chicken  country  where  to 
the  untrained  eye  there  is  little  difference  of  ground 
surface  apparent,  the  dog  may  not  need  to  exercise 
so  much  good  judgment  as  in  seeking  quail,  but  he 
needs  to  exercise  it,  nevertheless.  The  prairie,  from 
where  the  beholder  stands  to  the  horizon,  has  its 
lesser  and  greater  undulations,  with  their  innumer- 
able miniature  water  sheds,  forming  networks  of  hol- 
lows, in  which  are  much  coarser  and  ranker  grasses 
than  are  those  of  the  higher  ground.  Therein  are 
concealment  and  shelter  to  the  chickens  during  the 
night  and  the  midday  hours. 

In  the  morning  and  evening,  their  favorite  time  of 
food-seeking,  the  chickens  frequent  the  grain  fields 
in  the  season  when  the  grain  is  fit  for  their  food ;  or 
the  higher  ground,  where  the  growth  is  shorter, 
when  insect  life  is  more  abundant. 

Of  the  dogs  which  range  at  high  speed,  a  large 
percentage  run  faster  than  their  noses  and  judgment 
warrant  if  we  consider  the  best  possible  results.  In- 
deed, some  run  so  fast  and  hurriedly  that  they  do  not 
take  time  to  dwell  even  for  a  moment  in  searching 
out  the  likely  "places,  although  they  have  the  general 
appearance  of  earnest  and  good  industry.  They 


1 66  TRAINING   THE   HUNTING   DOG 

simply  are  high-class  pretenders.  There  is  a  dis- 
tinction between  a  dog  running  merrily,  as  he  would 
in  a  park,  and  a  dog  ranging  properly  in  search  of 
game. 

A  dog  may  be  so  intent  in  the  use  of  his  eyes  to 
pick  out  the  easiest  going  that  he  gives  no  attention 
to  the  practical  use  of  his  nose.  In  a  country  known 
to  contain  birds  he  may  work  over  great  areas  with- 
out finding  other  than  the  birds  which  he  happens  to 
run  directly  across.  He  on  the  other  hand  may  have 
the  speed  and  good  finding  intention  which  are 
shown  by  continuous  industry  and  judgment,  and 
yet,  from  functional  dullness  of  the  nose  as  an  organ 
of  scent,  be  incapacitated  as  a  finder. 

Before  a  dog  can  range  in  the  best  manner  he 
must  have  had  sufficient  experience  to  learn  what 
sections  of  ground  and  cover  the  birds  prefer  for  a 
habitat  and  a  food  supply;  what  are  their  general 
habits  of  life,  and  what  peculiar  devices  they  exercise 
to  evade  pursuit.  In  a  manner  it  is  much  the  same 
knowledge  that  a  shooter  himself  should  possess. 

Of  two  shooters,  the  one  knowing  at  a  glance 
what  section  of  certain  grounds  the  birds  seek  for 
food  and  shelter,  the  other  ignorant  or  heedless  of 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  1 67 

their  habitat,  habits,  and  the  manner  of  working  the 
ground  to  the  best  advantage,  no  explanation  is 
needed  as  to  which  would  be  the  most  successful. 

The  intelligence  and  industry  which  the  shooter 
must  exercise  in  bringing  success  to  the  use  of  the 
gun  are  not  unlike  those  which  the  dog  must  exercise 
similarly  in  bringing  success  to  the  use  of  his  nose. 

As  to  working  out  the  ground  properly  there  is  no 
arbitrary  method.  What  might  be  a  thorough  work- 
ing of  it  by  one  dog  might  not  be  so  at  all  when  done 
similarly  by  some  other  dog.  The  one  might  have  a 
very  keen  nose,  which  would  command  a  wide  scope, 
and  therewith  might  take  every  intelligent  advantage 
of  wind  and  ground,  the  other,  owing  to  a  dull  nose 
and  its  consequent  smaller  scope,  might  be  unable  to 
work  out  the  ground  properly  if  he  followed  the 
same  lines  set  by  his  keener-nosed  rival. 

Local  conditions  also  have  their  importance.  In  a 
close  country  the  range  should  not  be  so  far  that  the 
dog  is  out  of  sight  for  appreciable  lengths  of  time, 
for  then  the  shooter  cannot  know  what  the  dog  is  do- 
ing. If  he  then  gets  on  a  point  he  is  difficult  to  find, 
and  if  he  flushes  and  chases,  the  shooter  is  ignorant 
of  it.  If  he  points  a  mile  away  on  a  prairie  it  is 


1 68  TRAINING    THE    HUNTING    DOG 

more  of  labor  than  of  pleasure  to  go  so  far  to  him  for 
a  shot. 

The  matter  of  pace  is  essential  to  consider  in  con- 
nection with  ranging,  and  with  it  also  the  matter  of 
endurance.  As  hinted  herein,  a  very  fast  dog,  ex- 
tended to  his  utmost  in  speed,  is  rarely  a  thorough 
hunter.  Being  over-extended,  he  has  not  the  time  to 
consider  or  search  out  the  nooks  and  corners  with 
the  care  and  thoroughness  necessary  to  the  best  find- 
ing results,  nor  time  to  concentrate  his  mind  on  any- 
thing other  than  mere  running.  On  the  other  hand, 
a  dog  may  show  good  speed  for  a  while,  then  slow 
down  to  a  trot,  working  a  while  and  loafing  a  while. 

The  best  pace  is  a  steady,  swinging  gallop,  which 
is  easily  within  the  dog's  physical  compass,  and  such 
as  he  can  maintain  all  day  long.  If  to  this  he  adds 
bird  sense  and  concentrates  his  powers  on  his  work, 
remaining  out  at  it  constantly,  he  as  a  success  is  in 
pleasing  contrast  to  the  flashy,  over-speeded  dog 
whose  mind  is  concentrated  solely  on  picking  out  a 
clear  course  to  run  in.  Too  much  speed  often  de- 
notes an  ignorance  of  hunting  rather  than  a  knowl- 
edge of  it,  as  it  relates  to  the  service  of  the  gun. 

Aside  from  the  matter  of  pace,  the  most  common 


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FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  169 

examples  of  bad  ranging  are  as  follows :  When  a 
dog  takes  his  casts,  be  they  long  or  short,  straight  out 
in  any  direction  in  which  he  first  starts,  generally  up 
or  across  wind,  then  turns  and  comes  directly  back 
to  his  handler  on  nearly  the  same  line  which  marked 
his  course  in  going  out.  On  the  return,  in  most  in- 
stances, he  forgets  that  he  has  a  nose  while  using  his 
eye  to  watch  his  handler  as  he  hurries  straight  to 
him.  In  any  event,  it  is  not  then  necessary  that  he 
should  use  his  nose  on  ground  which  he  a  moment 
before  ran  over. 

A  particularly  annoying  phase  of  this  style  of 
ranging  is  the  taking  of  a  straight  line  directly  ahead 
in  the  course  of  the  shooter.  Thus,  most  of  the  time 
the  shooter  and  the  dog  are  following  the  same  line. 
More  than  half  of  such  a  dog's  time  and  effort  is 
wasted,  for  it  takes  him  as  long  to  return  as  it  does 
to  go  out.  He  necessarily  is  a  poor  finder.  He 
knows  no  difference  between  the  best  and  the  worst 
ground.  He  may  point  birds  when  he  happens  to 
run  across  them,  as  he  is  sure  to  do  sooner  or  later  in 
a  bird  country,  for  even  the  shooter  will  himself  walk 
up  birds  every  now  and  then ;  but  so  far  as  any  real 
merit  is  concerned  such  a  dog-  has  none, 


I7O  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING    DOG 

Another  faulty  manner  of  ranging  is  when  the  dog 
turns  to  the  rear  at  the  end  of  a  cast  and  swings  in 
behind  his  handler  or  on  to  ground  which  he  covered 
before  in  his  previous  cast,  thus  repeatedly  and  use- 
lessly crossing  his  course. 

Some  dogs  acquire  the  habit  of  working  entirely 
on  one  side  of  the  handler's  course.  If  forced  to 
cast  on  the  opposite  side,  they  are  intent  on  returning 
to  their  favorite  position,  and  soon  craftily  return  to 
it.  Others  have  the  extremely  objectionable  fault  of 
working  behind  their  handlers.  Still  others  work 
very  close  for  a  while,  regardless  of  the  character  of 
the  ground,  then  take  an  extremely  long  cast  with 
little  judgment  or  purpose  to  it,  returning  after  a 
time  and  resuming  the  pottering  range. 

The  wind  and  its  direction  are  important  factors 
in  ranging;  all  dogs  work  best  when  the  shooter  is 
walking  against  it.  They  can  then  beat  across  it  to 
and  fro,  turning  up  wind  at  the  end  of  their  casts  if 
they  turn  properly,  thus  having  the  best  advantages 
of  catching  scent  of  the  birds  which  are  within  range 
of  their  noses. 

If  the  shooter  is  going  down  wind  the  dog,  though 
he  can  beat  across  wind  as  before,  must  necessarily* 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS. 

turn  down  wind  at  the  end  of  his  casts  if 
he  keeps  best  in  place  relatively  to  the  shooter.  If 
the  dog  turns  up  wind  under  these  circumstances,  he 
turns  on  to  ground  which  he  has  worked,  making 
loops  at  the  end  of  his  casts,  all  of  which  results  in 
inferior  effort. 

In  their  ability  to  work  out  the  ground  regardless 
of  whether  the  shooter  walks  up,  down  or  across 
wind,  dogs  vary  greatly  in  their  powers.  Some 
dogs,  good  rangers  up  wind,  seem  to  lose  all  ideas  of 
intelligent  ranging  when  the  shooter  walks  down 
wind;  others  perform  well  regardless  of  the  course 
of  the  shooter. 

When  the  shooter  walks  straight  across  wind  he 
gives  the  dog  the  most  difficult  proposition  to  range 
to,  since  if  he  then  casts  straight  across  the  shooter, 
he  must  go  straight  up  and  down  wind.  The  wise 
dog,  of  good  sense  and  good  experience,  works  well 
regardless  of  his  handler's  course,  for  he  casts  out 
and  stays  out  far  enough  to  have  a  free  fling  accord- 
ing to  the  circumstances. 

It  is  better  to  give  the  dog  experience  in  working 
out  the  ground  regardless  of  the  wind,  for  many 
times  it  happens  in  a  day's  shooting  that,  owing  to 


TRAINING    THE    HUNTING   DOG 

the  nature  of  the  grounds  and  geaeral  course  of  the 
hunt,  an  up  wind  course  cannot  be  followed. 

Quartering  denotes  that  the  dog  crosses  to  and  fro 
in  front  of  the  shooter  on  lines  as  parallel  and  equi- 
distant as  may  be.  It  is  an  artificial  method,  and  no 
doubt  is  of  use  in  a  section  where  the  ground  is  favor- 
able to  it  and  where  birds  are  likely  to  frequent  all 
parts  of  the  ground  indiscriminately.  The  English 
authorities  emphasize  its  importance.  In  America, 
where  the  grounds  exhibit  all  kinds  of  irregularities 
as  to  surface  and  covers,  it  is  much  better  that  the 
dog  should  beat  out  the  ground  intelligently  from 
one  likely  point  to  another.  The  habitats  of  the 
birds  are  so  irregularly  placed,  and  there  is  so  much 
barren  ground  mixed  in  with  that  which  is  fertile, 
that  a  set  form  of  quartering  is  neither  taught  nor 
desired  by  the  majority  of  shooters. 

In  quartering,  the  dog  covers  as  much  ground  as 
his  nose  and  speed  will  permit  consistently  with  the 
size  of  the  field  or  ground  to  be  worked,  and  at  the 
same  time  with  keeping  in  front  of  the  shooter.  It 
is  apparent  that  if  the  dog  makes  his  casts  too  wide 
he  will  not  be  able  to  cut  out  his  parallels  and  at  the 
same  time  keep  in  front  of  the  shooter.  In  sections 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  173 

where  on  the  one  hand  the  intelligent' ranger  succeeds 
in  rinding  birds  in  abundance,  they  on  the  other 
might  appear  to  be  very  scarce  when  sought  by  a  dog 
which  hunted  parallel  lines  across  his  handler's 
course. 

A  dog  which  does  not  range  well  naturally  is  ca- 
pable of  but  little  improvement  from  the  efforts  of 
his  handler.  If  he  comes  in  repeatedly  as  a  habit,  a 
crack  or  a  cut  of  the  whip,  as  he  comes  in,  will  tend 
to  keep  him  from  coming  entirely  in ;  but  instead  of 
going  out  to  work  when  so  unpleasantly  received  he 
may  sulk.  At  all  events,  his  imperfect  judgment  is 
not  to  be  materially  mended  by  any  efforts  of  his 
handler.  Constant  whistling  and  signaling  and  di- 
recting may  help  the  faulty  dog  to  a  limited  extent, 
but  the  handler  then  is  furnishing  all  the  brains  and 
doing  the  thinking  for  the  dog  which  the  latter,  if  of 
the  right  grade  as  a  worker,  would  think  for  himself. 

To  teach  the  dog  quartering,  implicit  obedience  to 
the  whistle  and  signals  of  the  hand  must  be  taught 
as  a  pre-requisite.  The  course  is  always  up  wind. 
Then,  when  the  dog  is  ranging,  the  handler  walks  to 
and  fro  from  left  to  right,  keeping  him  on  the  cor- 
rect parallels  across  wind  as  near  as  he  can,  and  turn- 


174  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

ing  him  when  at  the  proper  distance  at  the  end  of 
them.  This  is  continued  day  after  day  till  the  dog- 
will,  from  mere  habit,  follow  the  artificial  range  thus 
established.  It  requires  a  world  of  labor  and  pa- 
tience to  teach  it  thoroughly.  After  it  is  taught  it 
has  certain  spectacular  features  which  appeal  to  the 
novice,  but  which  to  the  expert  suggest  a  worthless 
redundancy  of  effort. 

The  theory  of  brace  work  when  the  dogs  quarter 
their  ground  is  that  they  work  on  wider  parallels  in 
their  casts,  which  alternate  so  that  neither  works  on 
the  other's  ground  except  when  turning  at  the  end  of 
their  casts.  They  should  cross  in  front  of  their 
handler  at  about  the  same  time,  should  cast  about  the 
same  distance  to  the  right  and  left,  and  should  make 
their  turns  at  the  ends  of  their  casts  at  about  the 
same  moment.  To  approximate,  even  remotely,  to 
this  degree  of  refinement,  the  dog  must  work  inde- 
pendently, must  be  nearly  equal  in  pace  and  industry, 
and  in  general  must  have  the  same  ideas  of  quarter- 
ing; in  short,  they  must  be  fairly  well  matched. 

Dogs  develop  idiosyncrasies  in  quartering  as  they 
do  in  free  ranging.  One  may  cast  well  on  one  side, 
turning  up  wind  properly,  while  at  the  end  of  his  cast 


i  OR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  175 

on  the  other  side  he  turns  down  wind ;  or  he  may  cast 
irregularly  wide  and  close,  or  wide  on  one  side  and 
short  on  the  other,  or  come  to  his  handler  in  the  mid- 
dle of  his  cast,  or  cast  to  the  rear  of  his  handler  be- 
times, etc.,  or  be  working  outside  the  boundaries 
which  are  most  advantageous  to  the  shooter's  suc- 
cess. A  point  made  a  half  mile  or  more  away  im- 
poses a  great  loss  of  time  and  extra  walking  or  riding 
on  the  shooter,  as  do  also  the  long  searches  for  the 
dog  when  he  is  lost  on  point,  and  the  latter  is  a  fre- 
quent occurrence  when  the  dog  works  beyond 
bounds.  The  dog  which  so  works  is  a  semi-self- 
hunter,  and  is  a  very  laborious  dog  to  handle. 


176  TRAINING   THE   HUNTING  DOG 


CHAPTER  XII. 

DROPPING  TO   SHOT  AND  WING. 

DROPPING  to  shot  and  wing  are  terms  which  de- 
note that,  at  the  rise  of  the  bird  or  birds,  or  the  report 
of  the  gun,  the  dog  drops  instantly  to  the  ground.  It 
is  much  more  ornamental  than  useful,  and  besides 
has  some  distinct  disadvantages. 

There  are  many  sportsmen  who  set  an  exagger- 
ated value  on  what  may  be  termed  the  embellish- 
ments of  training,  such  as  quartering,  dropping  to 
shot  and  wing,  toho,  etc.,  and  who  profess  to  take 
more  pleasure  from  the  manner  in  which  the  dog 
performs  than  in  the  material  results  of  his  efforts. 

The  main  purpose  of  the  dog's  service,  however, 
is  one  of  utility;  the  embellishments,  though  desir- 
able, hold  a  secondary  place.  If,  therefore,  the  dog 
is  a  good  and  useful  servant,  and  yet  possessed  of 
little  style,  he  is  far  superior  to  a  stylish  nonentity. 

While  it  is  a  matter  of  constant  recurrence  that  the 
shooter  finds  it  necessary  to  order  the  dog  to  lie 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  177 

down  on  certain  occasions  in  the  hunting  field  or  at 
home,  to  prevent  his  interference,  to  stop  his  prowl- 
ing, or  to  make  him  cease  hunting,  yet  it  is  not  de- 
sirable that  he  be  made  to  drop  in  a  machine-like 
manner  when  there  is  no  real  occasion  for  it.  The 
contention  that  it  puts  a  more  artistic  finish  to  the 
dog's  work,  and  that  it  is  a  deterrent  to  breaking 
shot,  chasing  and  breaking  in,  is  a  matter  of  pure 
fancy.  It  comes  under  the  head  of  a  trick  perform- 
ance, much  as  if  the  dog  were  to  turn  a  somersault 
at  the  report  of  the  gun,  and  is  almost  as  irrelevant. 

There  is  nothing  in  the  rise  of  the  bird  or  the  re- 
port of  the  gun  that  can  be  usefully  supplemented  by 
the  drop  of  the  dog,  nor  is  the  act  of  special  import- 
ance as  a  preventive  of  shot  breaking,  breaking  in, 
or  chasing. 

If  the  dog  is  unsteady,  he  does  not  drop  to  wing  in 
practice,  whatever  he  may  do  in  theory. 

The  enforcement  of  steadiness  to  shot  and  wing  is 
one  of  the  easiest  parts  of  the  dog's  training  to  com- 
pass, and  it  is  infinitely  much  easier  to  teach  than  it 
is  to  teach  the  dog  to  drop  to  shot  or  wing. 

The  disadvantages  encountered  in  teaching  it  and 
after  it  is  taught,  are  that,  some  punishment  being 


178  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

necessary  in  its  enforcement,  there  is  danger  that  the 
dog  unwittingly  may  be  taught  to  blink  or  to  be  gun- 
shy,  or  both.  The  punishment,  being  directly  asso- 
ciated with  the  report  of  the  gun  and  the  rise  of  the 
bird,  at  a  juncture  when  the  mind  of  the  dog  is  in- 

nsely  concentrated  on  the  birds  and  his  every  desire 
"red  in  their  capture,  is  by  him  likely  to  be  inter 
ed  erroneously.     He  may  consider  that  he  has 
won  the  disapproval  of  his  master,  and  has  been  pun 
ished  for  meddling  with  the  birds  at  all.  After  a  few 
;  a.niui  experiences  he  is  quite  likely  to  consider  the 
rt  as  a  signal  for  punishment  for  some  cause  of 
which  he  is  entirely  ignorant,  or  for  no  cause  at  all. 

In  cold,  rainy  weather,  when  the  ground  is  muddy 
or  saturated  with  cold  water,  or  when  there  are  ice 
and  snow,  no  sportsman  who  has  a  right  heart  would 
force  his  dog  to  lie  down  merely  to  gratify  a  fancy. 

In  briers  and  thorns  it  is  often  painful  for  the  dog 
to  drop. 

Sometimes,  if  the  dog  trained  to  drop  to  wing 
flushes  in  cover,  or  at  a  distance  from  the  shooter 
where  he  is  out  of  sight,  he  will  lie  a  long  time  in  the 
dropped  position  waiting  for  the  order  to  go  on. 

Not  infrequently  it  happens  that  the  dog,  after  a 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  1 79 

time  of  rigid  schooling  to  dropping  to  wing,  antici- 
pates the  rise  of  the  bird  from  every  noise  which  he 
happens  to  hear,  or  from  the  act  of  the  shooter  in 
walking  up  to  flush,  and  therefore  drops  before  the 
bird  takes  wing.  By  degrees  he  becomes  more 
deferential,  and  anticipates  by  dropping  safely  before 
the  bird  rises  at  all,  and  in  time  this  degenerates  into 
dropping  on  point,  a  most  undesirable  manner  of 
pointing. 

Dropping  to  point  adds  greatly  to  the  difficulties  of 
the  shooter  in  reference  to  the  dog,  for  the  latter 
must  then  be  watched  unceasingly.  If  he  happens 
to  drop  when  the  shooter  does  not  see  him,  a  long 
search  to  find  him  may  thereby  be  entailed,  and  in- 
deed he  may  not  be  found  on  point  at  all,  it  being 
necessary  to  whistle  or  call  him  from  it.  A  little 
cover  suffices  to  conceal  a  dog  when  lying  down. 

When  dropped  to  shot,  it  is  impossible  for  a  dog, 
lying  down,  to  mark  the  flight  of  live  birds  or  the 
whereabouts  of  dead  birds  with  the  precision  that  he 
can  attain  when  standing  up.  The  marking  of  birds 
is  an  accomplishment  which  all  dogs  do  not  possess, 
it  is  true,  but  nevertheless  it  is  a  most  useful  accom- 
plishment, and  much  to  be  desired. 


ISO  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

Dropping  to  shot,  if  taught,  should  be  made  a  part 
of  the  yard  training.  It  is  taught  in  precisely  the 
same  manner  that  the  oral  command  and  signal  are 
taught. 

The  manner  of  teaching  the  dog  to  drop  to  shot 
and  wing  must  be  governed  much  by  his  disposition. 
If  he  is  exceedingly  timid,  intelligent  care  and  delib- 
eration should  be  exercised.  In  any  event,  he  should 
be  taught  to  drop  promptly  and  cheerfully  to  order, 
apart  from  any  considerations  of  dropping  to  wing 
or  shot.  The  yard  training  in  this  respect  should  be 
specially  thorough  when  the  trainer  contemplates 
making  it  a  part  of  the  work  on  game. 

In  teaching  the  dog  to  drop  to  command,  with  the 
aid  of  the  whip,  the  trainer  should  observe  the  great- 
est care  to  hit  the  dog  in  the  same  place  each  time,  as 
on  the  shoulder.  When  he  feels  his  shoulder  thus 
hit,  he  will  drop  instantly  without  any  oral  com- 
mand after  he  is  schooled  properly.  Indeed,  after  a 
time  he  will  drop  when  his  shoulder  is  merely 
touched.  It  in  its  way  is  recognized  as  an  impera- 
tive command,  for  the  threat  of  the  whip  closely  sup- 
plements it. 

Heavy  charges  of  powder  are  unnecessary  in  the 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  l8l 

lessons.  An  old  pistol  using  percussion  caps  is  quite 
sufficient.  As  to  the  manner  of  using  it,  the  trainer, 
with  a  check  cord  five  or  six  feet  long,  leads  the  dog 
about,  snaps  a  cap  at  a  favorable  juncture,  taps  the 
dog  on  the  shoulder  as  aforementioned,  and  enforces 
obedience  to  the  report  in  the  same  manner  as  if  it 
were  an  oral  order.  This  is  repeated,  lesson  after 
lesson,  till  the  dog  will  drop  promptly  to  the  report. 

The  lesson  should  be  given  kindly  and  pleasantly. 
It  can  be  conducted  without  filling  the  dog  with  ter- 
ror and  the  consequent  desire  to  escape,  or  fear  of  the 
gun.  Common  sense  on  the  part  of  the  teacher  is 
essential  to  determine  how  the  lessons  should  be  con- 
ducted. Under  no  circumstances  should  he  attempt 
this  part  of  the  dog's  education  if  the  least  degree 
of  gun-shyness  is  exhibited,  nor  is  it  wise  to  attempt 
enforcing  it  in  the  field  if  the  pupil  has  any  faults 
which  require  punishment  to  correct  them. 

Dropping  to  wing  and  all  attempts  to  teach  it 
should  be  kept  in  abeyance  till  the  latter  part  of  the 
dog's  field  education ;  in  the  early  part  there  are  com- 
plications enough  without  importing  any  unneces- 
sary extra  ones. 

It  is  taught  a,t  first  by  ordering  the  dog  to  drop 


1 82  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

every  time  that  a  bird  is  flushed  within  his  sight  or 
hearing,  whether  he  pointed  it  or  not.  The  trainer 
endeavors  also  to  take  advantage  of  every  oppor- 
tunity which  presents  itself  in  the  furtherance  of  his 
purpose,  such  as,  for  instance,  walking  up  beside  the 
dog  when  he  is  on  point,  flushing  the  bird  then,  and 
at  the  same  time,  if  necessary,  giving  him  a  cut  on 
the  shoulder  with  the  whip,  as  when  teaching  him  to 
drop  in  the  yard  lessons. 

The  trainer,  however,  should  avoid  the  extreme  of 
making  himself  too  much  of  a  factor  in  the  rise  of 
the  bird,  else  the  dog  will  drop  when  he  is  approached, 
in  anticipation  of  being  forced  to  drop  a  moment  or 
two  later.  By  many  impressive  repetitions  of  the 
act  in  conjunction  with  the  rise  of  the  bird,  the  dog 
in  time  comes  to  recognize  the  first  sound  of  wings 
as  an  order  to  drop. 

Patience  and  careful  progress  should  be  observed 
in  giving  these  lessons.  If  there  is  too  much  hurry 
or  violence,  it  is  quite  an  easy  matter  to  injure  the 
dog's  work  in  other  respects. 

When  a  dog  is  over-fatigued  it  is  not  wise  to  en- 
force dropping  to  shot  or  wing  too  strictly.  He  may 
find  it  such  a  comfortable  position  that  it  is  to  his  lik- 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  183 

ing.  When  greatly  fatigued,  dogs,  when  standing 
on  point  for  a  long  while,  learn  to  drop  on  their 
own  initiative,  and  from  this  as  a  beginning  they  may 
learn  to  drop  on  their  points  habitually.  Once  ac- 
quired, there  is  no  way  of  remedying  the  fault. 


184  TRAINING   THE   HUNTING  DOG 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

BREAKING  SHOT,  BREAKING  IN,  CHASING. 


THE  different  manifestations  of  unsteadiness  are 
termed  breaking  shot,  breaking  in,  and  chasing,  and 
all  have  their  origin  in  the  desire  of  the  dog  to  cap- 
ture the  bird.  It  is  all  quite  in  keeping  with  his  na- 
ture and  natural  manner  of  acquiring  possession  of 
his  prey. 

Breaking  shot  is  when  the  dog  breaks  away  at  the 
report  of  the  gun. 

Breaking  in  denotes  that  the  dog,  as  the  term  sig- 
nifies, breaks  in  and  flushes  the  birds,  either  before  or 
after  making  a  point,  and  chasing  signifies  according 
to  its  common  meaning. 

The  amateur,  whose  pre judgments  are  based  on 
his  own  purposes  as  being  the  true  data  for  estimat- 
ing the  dog's  duties,  is  prone  to  consider  the  different 
forms  of  unsteadiness  as  manifestations  of  perver- 
sity or  malicious  harmfulness.  From  ths  dog's 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  185 

standpoint,  however,  the  handler  has  no  more  rela- 
tion to  the  pursuit  of  game  than  he  would  have  to  a 
bone  which  the  dog  might  be  gnawing. 

While  the  dog  takes  a  certain  degree  of  pleasure  in 
the  pursuit  of  game,  a  material  purpose,  the  capture 
of  the  prey,  dominates,  and  thus  his  eager  pursuit 
has  a  basis  of  self-interest.  The  latter  must  be  pre- 
served, therefore  it  is  seldom  good  training  to  at- 
tempt to  check  his  unsteadiness  too  suddenly.  It  is 
better  done  by  easy  degrees,  even  if  the  dog  is  dis- 
tinctly hard-headed  in  his  obstinacy. 

Steadiness  is  one  of  the  easiest  parts  of  the  train- 
ing to  enforce  when  the  trainer  engages  in  it  seri- 
ously, although  it  is  one  of  the  most  difficult  for  the 
average  shooter,  on  account  of  his  failure  to  method- 
ically control  the  dog  by  mechanical  means. 

Some  nice  judgment  should  be  exercised  as  to  how 
much  freedom  to  give  the  dog,  in  case  of  timidity, 
apathetic  interest,  natural  indolence,  etc.  Some 
dogs,  whose  self-interest  is  exceptionally  assertive, 
will  hunt  with  the  greatest  enthusiasm  for  them- 
selves, while  hunting  only  with  half-heartedness  for 
their  masters.  Thus  the  matter  of  how  much  re- 
straint should  be  exercised  is  one  of  expediency, 


l86  TRAINING  THE  HUNTING  DOG. 

which  must  be  determined  by  the  good  judgment  of 
the  trainer. 

While  giving  the  puppy's  unsteadiness  serious  con- 
sideration, the  amateur  should  avoid  any  exhibitions 
of  it  himself.  If  he  breaks  shot  to  capture  a  wounded 
bird,  or  manifests  undue  haste  and  excitement  when 
in  the  vicinity  of  birds,  it  is  unreasonable  to  expect 
steadiness  under  such  circumstances  on  the  part  of 
the  puppy,  or  indeed  on  the  part  of  a  thoroughly 
trained  dog.  The  enormity  of  the  offense  as  mani- 
fested by  the  puppy  consists  not  so  much  in  the  act 
itself  as  in  spoiling  a  shot  for  the  trainer.  Many 
amateur  trainers  are  more  intent  on  the  pleasures  of 
the  sport  than  on  the  advancement  of  the  dog's 
schooling,  and  therefore  the  error  of  the  puppy  is  in 
the  nature  of  a  personal  interference  with  their  pur- 
pose. 

Chasing  rabbits  should  be  corrected  first.  Viewed 
from  a  schooling  standpoint,  the  act  may  be  a  fault 
or  not,  accordingly  as  the  dog  may  or  may  not  need 
an  incentive  to  effort.  Timid  dogs  gain  self-confi- 
dence and  boldness,  while  lazy  dogs  acquire  more  in- 
dustry and  enthusiasm  from  indulging  in  it. 

When  the  trainer  attempts  to  teach  the  dog  to  for- 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  1 87 

bear  chasing,  the  procedure  then  is  to  make  the  act 
painful  instead  of  pleasurable.  The  trainer  by  pun- 
ishment proceeds  to  establish  in  the  dog's  mind  an 
association  of  unpleasant  ideas  in  reference  to  the 
rabbit.  This  is  quickly  done  by  shooting  a  rabbit 
ahead  of  the  dog,  on  favorable  opportunity,  of  which 
many  present  themselves  when  a  dog  is  addicted  to 
the  habit  of  chasing.  The  dog  will  manifest  the 
greatest  elation  when  the  rabbit  is  shot.  However, 
the  trainer  fastens  a  check  cord  to  the  dog's  collar, 
and  with  the  rabbit  and  whip  in  the  left  hand  admin- 
isters a  good  whipping  to  him.  At  intervals,  the  rab- 
bit is  thrust  in  his  face,  the  trainer  at  the  same  time 
exclaiming  Hi !  Hi !  Hi !  with  some  cuts  of  the  whip 
sandwiched  in.  The  dog  credits  all  the  hurts  to  the 
rabbit,  and  learns  to  associate  it  with  pain  accord- 
ingly. 

It  is  commonly  held  to  be  bad  training  to  shoot  a 
rabbit  ahead  of  a  dog.  It  is  so  if  one  indulges  in  it 
with  a  thoroughly  trained  dog  as  a  matter  of  filling 
the  game  bag.  Discrimination  between  what  en- 
courages a  dog  to  chase  and  what  deters  him  from 
chasing  should  be  considered.  Shooting  a  rabbit 
ahead  of  a  chasing  dog  and  punishing  him  for  it 


1 88  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

bring  the  act  and  the  object  in  direct  and  painful  as- 
sociation. After  a  time,  if  the  dog  at  the  first  view 
of  a  fleeing  rabbit,  forgets  himself  on  the  impulse  of 
the  moment,  and  starts  to  chase,  the  warning  cry  Hi ! 
Hi!  Hi!  will  check  him,  and  on  second  thought 
he  will  desist.  The  punishment  must  be  persisted 
in  until  the  -  dog  ignores  the  rabbit  temptation 
reliably. 

The  correction  for  unsteadiness  to  shot  and  wing  is 
also  administered  ,on  the  theory  of  associating  the 
errors  with  pain,  but  in  practice  much  more  care 
needs  to  be  exercised  than  in  breaking  the  dog  of  rab- 
bit chasing.  By  injudicious  punishment,  it  is  quite  as 
easy  to  teach  the  dog  to  forbear  hunting  birds  at  all 
as  it  is  to  forbear  chasing  rabbits.  There  is  a  degree 
of  punishment  which  will  deter  the  dog  from  chasing 
and  breaking  in ;  there  is  a  further  degree  which  will 
deter  him  from  hunting  at  all,  and  there  is  still  a 
further  degree  which  will  cause  him  to  blink.  He 
should  never  be  punished  so  severely  or  so  persist- 
ently that  he  shows  hesitation  or  loss  of  confidence 
in  himself  or  handler.  It  is  much  better  to  make 
haste  slowly,  accomplishing  advancement  safely, 
{Step  by  step,  than  it  is  to  take  the  chances  of 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  189 

lishing  all  necessary  steadiness  in  a  moment  or  ruin- 
ing all  at  the  same  time. 

Dogs  of  a  sensitive,  deferential  disposition  may  be 
steadied  at  the  warning  cry,  Hi !  Hi !  Hi !  and  words 
of  disapproval  alone.  On  a  dog  of  a  bolder  nature, 
resolutely  intent  on  chasing,  the  check  cord  is  put 
while  he  is  pointing,  and  when  the  birds  rise  he  is  per- 
mitted to  dash  forward  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  before 
being  snubbed  and  brought  back  to  the  place  whence 
he  started. 

An  aged,  experienced  dog,  which  has  become  a 
confirmed  shot  breaker  may  be  dealt  with  still  more 
severely.  A  spike  collar  is  effective  in  making  a 
prompt  cure.  Place  it  upon  his  neck  when  he  is 
working.  Tie  the  choke  with  a  piece  of  twine,  so 
that  it  will  not  slip  backward  and  forward  as  a  choke 
collar,  thus  resting  on  his  neck  in  manner  similar  to 
his  ordinary  kennel  collar.  When  he  points,  the 
trainer  walks  up  to  him  quietly,  fastens  the  check 
cord  into  his  collar,  adjusts  it  so  it  will  uncoil  freely, 
then  shoots  and  permits  the  dog  to  run  into  the  collar 
when  he  breaks  shot.  The  impetus  of  the  dog  breaks 
the  twine,  and  the  collar  then  hugs  his  neck  tightly. 
The  trainer  forces  him  back  to  place  with  the  collar 


TRAINING   THE    HUNTING  DOG 

and  cord.  Few  dogs  have  the  courage  to  break  shot 
after  two  or  three  experiences  with  the  collar  applied 
in  this  manner. 

If  the  dog  is  self-willed  and  obstinate  above  the 
ordinary,  it  is  better  to  engage  the  assistance  of  a 
clear-headed  friend  to  do  the  shooting,  while  the 
trainer  devotes  all  his  attention  to  the  dog.  Play  to 
give  the  dog  every  opportunity  to  break  shot,  and  let 
him  go  to  the  full  length  of  the  check  cord  as  often  as 
he  will  do  so.  If  he  at  length  hesitates  to  break,  the 
trainer  by  feigning  to  break  shot  himself  may  en- 
courage him  to  do  so,  but  at  every  offense  he  is 
brought  back  to  place  with  a  pull  of  the  collar,  and  if 
necessary  he  is  still  further  punished  with  the  whip. 
The  most  resolute  dog  will  not  persist  in  lawless 
breaking  away  under  such  treatment,  and  it  has  the 
further  advantage  of  being  lasting  in  its  effects. 
Concerning  the  use  of  the  spike  collar,  the  trainer 
will  do  well  to  read  and  heed  the  remarks  upon  its 
use  presented  in  another  chapter. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  K)l 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

RETRIEVING. 

ALTHOUGH  in  America  retrieving  is  made  a  part 
of  the  dog's  field  work,  it  is  not  a  natural  quality  in 
the  sense  that  pointing,  reading,  etc.,  are.  There  are 
those,  however,  who  maintain  that  it  is  instinctive, 
and,  moreover,  that  it  is  instinctively  implanted  in 
the  dog's  nature  for  the  especial  benefit  of  man. 

The  fact  that  an  exceptional  puppy  will  grasp  a 
bird  in  his  mouth  on  opportunity,  in  his  first  experi- 
ence afield,  and  carry  it  with  more  or  less  directness 
to  his  master  is  cited  as  proof  of  its  natural  origin. 
The  fact  that  the  puppy  will  grasp  the  bird  on  his 
own  account,  even  if  his  master  is  absent,  is  entirely 
ignored. 

Whether  in  a  wild  or  domestic  state,  if  his  prey  is 
of  a  size  which  permits  of  his  doing  so  the  dog  fre- 
quently carries  it  to  his  home.  That  he  should  at- 
tempt to  carry  it  when  in  the  presence  of  his  master 
has  therefore  no  special  significance  as  an  instinct 


TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

whose  purpose  is  the  furtherance  of  his  master's  in- 
terests. 

When  the  puppy  first  grasps  the  bird  and  makes 
what  is  termed  a  natural  retrieve  his  every  expres- 
sion and  purpose  denote  that  the  act  has  an  entire 
reference  to  himself.  His  eyes  glare  with  the  triumph 
of  possession;  he  grasps  the  bird  with  unnecessary 
firmness,  oftentimes  rolling  and  crushing  it  in  his 
mouth,  and  he  goes  near  to  where  his  master  stands 
as  being  the  most  secure  and  restful  place  under 
the  circumstances.  He  would  do  precisely  the  same 
thing  when  he  ceased  work  and  wished  to  rest.  At 
the  juncture  when  the  dog  is  near  to  him  the  trainer 
interposes,  and  by  intimidation  and  restraint  robs 
him,  as  it  were,  of  his  prey.  If  he  is  of  mild  or  timid 
disposition  he  may  yield  his  prize  to  his  trainer  at  the 
first  stern  word  or  act  in  reference  to  it.  Under 
similar  circumstances  he  would  in  like  manner  desist 
from  any  other  purpose  or  act  in  which  he  was  en- 
gaged. But  if  the  puppy  is  left  to  his  own  pleasure 
in  the  matter,  he  retains  possession  of  the  bird,  lies 
down  in  a  place  to  his  liking  and  proceeds  to  de- 
vour it. 

The  mere  picking  up  of  the  bird  in  the  presence  of 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FlELD  TRIALS. 

the  trainer  and  the  success  of  the  latter  in  plundering 
the  dog  of  his  prey  are  exceedingly  limited  data  on 
which  to  found  a  theory  that  the  act  of  retrieving 
is  instinctive.  Intelligent  retrieving  in  the  service  of 
the  gun  is  the  result  of  education. 

If  the  dog  retrieved  naturally  for  the  benefit  of 
man  he  would  exhibit  and  maintain  a  constant  pur- 
pose of  doing  so,  instead  of  a  consistent  purpose  to 
possess  and  eat  the  bird.  Furthermore,  it  would  seem 
that  if  the  dog  retrieved  naturally  for  man,  the  lat- 
ter would  know  instinctively  why  the  dog  pointed 
and  retrieved,  but  man  has  to  be  taught  these  things 
before  he  knows  them. 

Some  dogs,  it  is  true,  learn  to  retrieve  much  more 
quickly  than  others,  and  take  a  great  interest  and  de- 
light in  it.  But  this  may  be  said  of  any  other  work 
imposed  on  the  dog  by  man. 

The  average  dog  is  easily  susceptible  to  praise  or 
flattery,  and  if  he  is  skillfully  handled  in  this  respect 
he  will  do  many  things  of  no  special  interest  or  bene- 
fit to  himself  other  than  the  vain  gratification  which 
he  feels  from  evoking  the  approbation  of  his  master. 
His  keenness  of  observation  and  discrimination  in 
determining  what  acts  are  pleasing  and  what  are  dis- 


IQ4  TRAINING  THE  HUNTING  DOG. 

pleasing  to  the  latter  are  purely  matters  of  mental 
discernment. 

The  fact  that  almost  any  dog,  whether  he  be  cur  or 
well  bred,  may  be  taught  to  retrieve  indicates  that 
the  act  is  not  a  matter  of  instinct  peculiar  to  setters 
and  pointers.  When  done  with  any  degree  of  finish 
and  intelligent  purpose  it  is  an  educational  act  quite 
as  much  as  is  the  act  of  shooting  the  bird  when  dis- 
played by  his  master.  Incidentally,  is  it  not  strange 
that  the  dog  should  instinctively  retrieve  the  bird 
which  his  master  has  learned  to  shoot,  not  instinc- 
tively, but  by  skill  derived  from  education  ?  It  would 
seem  that  instinct  would  work  alike  in  respect  to  both 
man  and  dog. 

Dogs,  as  individuals,  whether  pointers  or  setters, 
vary  greatly  in  their  aptness  for  retrieving.  Some 
manifest  the  greatest  delight  in  it,  and  in  fact  in  any 
other  act  within  their  compass  which  wins  the  ap- 
proval of  their  masters,  or  which  is  associated  with 
capturing  prey;  others  perform  in  an  indifferent  or 
perfunctory  manner,  while  still  others  detest  and  re- 
bel against  it  heartily. 

As  a  general  proposition,  by  far  the  greater  num- 
ber of  pointers  and  setters  may  be  taught  to  retrieve 


FOR  THE  FIELD  A\TD  FIELD  TRIALS.  1 95 

with  some  degree  of  satisfactory  performance.  How- 
ever, a  dull  nose,  weak  intellect  or  constitutional  in- 
dolence will  affect  the  dog's  performance  adversely 
in  this  respect  as  they  will  in  all  the  other  parts  of  his 
field  work. 

As  a  matter  of  good  training  it  is  much  better  to 
defer  all  attempts  to  teach  retrieving  till  the  dog's 
second  season.  When  the  teacher  combines  retriev- 
ing with  the  dog's  other  field  schooling  he  retards 
instead  of  advances  it. 

The  disadvantages  consequent  to  retrieving  are  as 
follows :  Nearly  all  puppies — and,  indeed,  many  old 
dogs — take  an  unbounded  pleasure  in  capturing  their 
prey.  Each  one  has  a  keen  desire  to  have  individual 
possession  of  it.  In  their  over-eagerness  to  be  the 
first  to  the  dead  bird  and  gain  possession  of  it  they 
forget  or  disregard  their  training  or  obedience,  so  far 
as  it  refers  to  steadiness  to  the  gun. 

The  desire  to  retrieve  incites  the  dog  to  break  shot : 
to  be  riotous  when  drawing  on  birds  instead  of  being 
careful,  and  to  lawless  casting  about  after  the  gun  is 
fired,  in  search  of  a  real  or  imaginary  dead  bird,  the 
report  of  the  gun  having  to  him  but  that  one  sig- 
nificance. The  energetic  efforts  of  the  trainer  at 


196  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOS 

such  junctures  avail  but  little.  The  dog  furiously 
charges  about  to  find  the  bird.  When  at  length 
the  trainer  gets  control  of  him,  his  mind  is  still 
filled  with  the  ardent  desire  and  purpose  to  find 
the  bird,  and  if  freed  he  again  begins  his  riotous 
search. 

If  at  length  the  trainer,  by  energetic  effort,  gets 
control  of  him  and  leads  him  away  a  quarter  of  a 
mile,  more  or  less,  from  the  place  where  the  dead 
bird  is  supposed  to  be,  when  released  the  puppy  re- 
turns and  persistently  searches  for  it  till  he  is  pleased 
to  desist,  regardless  of  his  handler's  whistling  and 
ordering  in  the  meantime.  At  every  report  of  the 
gun  the  puppy's  misbehavior  is  amplified  or  modified, 
accordingly  as  the  circumstances  permit.  If  there  are 
scattered  birds  about,  his  riotous  charging  is  sure  to 
flush  them  all,  while  he,  heedless  or  oblivious  of  them, 
is  absorbed  in  the  one  idea  and  effort  to  possess  the 
dead  bird. 

This  lawlessness,  incorporated  as  a  part  of  his  field 
work,  complicates  matters  seriously  and  harmfully. 
It  lowers  the  standard  of  all  his  work  as  it  relates  to 
the  service  of  the  gun.  The  idea  of  possession  con- 
stantly incites  him  to  lawless  alertness.  The  real  or 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  1 97 

imaginary  dead  bird  is  ever  an  inducement  to  inde- 
pendent and  lawless  effort. 

If  the  dog  has  been  properly  schooled  the  first  sea- 
son, he  is  steady  to  shot  and  wing,  besides  having 
acquired  an  interest  in  working  for  the  success  of  the 
gun.  In  the  second  season,  retrieving,  then,  may  be 
taught  as  a  special  branch,  the  dog  having  a  prepara- 
tory good  schooling  to  steadiness  in  his  work  to  the 
gun  as  a  finder.  It  requires  no  argument  to  prove 
that  it  is  easier  and  better  to  perfect  the  dog  in  the 
first  as  a  finding  dog  one  season,  and  second  as  a  re- 
triever the  ensuing  season,  than  it  is  to  attempt  to 
perfect  him  in  both  branches  at  the  same  time. 

Nevertheless,  some  dogs  will  exhibit  all  the  unde- 
sirable traits  enumerated ;  other  dogs  one  or  more  of 
them,  while  others,  again,  may  engage  in  retrieving 
with  pleasing  precocity.  As  a  general  proposition 
the  majority  of  dogs  may  be  educated  into  being 
good  retrievers,  while  a  part  may  be  educated  into  ex- 
cellent ones. 

Dogs  of  superior  "bird  sense"  learn  to  engage  in 
all  the  details  of  field  work  with  an  intelligent  com- 
prehension of  what  constitutes  proper  effort  and 
action. 


198  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

Notwithstanding  the  disadvantages  which  are 
likely  to  accrue  when  the  dog  is  used  both  as  a  finder 
and  retriever,  the  demands  of  sport  as  conducted  in 
America  require  that  he  be  so  used.  The  average 
American  sportsman  owns  but  one  or  two  dogs,  and 
he  desires  that  they  serve  him  as  finders.  He  has 
neither  the  time  nor  inclination  to  bother  with  a  dog 
whose  sole  specialty  is  retrieving,  and  as  a  matter  of 
economy  some  sportsmen  would  not  consider  that 
such  dog's  services  counterbalanced  the  extra  ex- 
pense. 

The  average  American  sportsman  has  but  a  few 
days  of  shooting  each  season,  and  therefore  his  one 
dog  in  his  service  must  be  broadly  proficient.  While 
the  dog  may  not  be  so  good  a  finder  if  he  retrieves, 
nor  so  good  a  retriever  if  he  finds,  a  compromise  may 
be  established  which  will  insure  at  least  passable  per- 
formance in  both  finding  and  retrieving,  thus  afford- 
ing to  the  shooter  the  advantages  of  both. 

Moreover,  two  dogs,  the  one  a  finder,  the  other  a 
retriever,  could  not  be  handled  at  the  same  time  by 
the  average  American  sportsman,  who,  as  a  rule, 
finds  quite  enough  difficulty  in  handling  one  dog  at  a 
time, 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  199 

Without  a  retriever,  the  success  and  pleasure  of  a 
day's  shooting  are  materially  impaired.  Birds  which 
fall  in  heavy  weeds  or  grass  or  bushes  are  extremely 
difficult  to  find,  and  such  as  fall  in  mud  or  marshes, 
though  in  plain  sight,  are  gathered  with  much  diffi- 
culty and  discomfort.  When  the  shooter  does  his 
own  retrieving  a  large  percentage  of  dead  and 
wounded  birds  and  much  time  are  lost. 

As  to  the  specific  injuries  to  the  work  of  the  dog 
employed  as  a  finder-retriever,  they  are  as  follows: 
The  best  manner  of  seeking  live  birds,  in  respect  to 
the  manner  in  which  the  dog  uses  his  nose,  is  dis- 
tinctly different  from  the  best  manner  of  using  it  in 
retrieving.  The  manner  of  finding  is  with  a  high 
nose,  and  therewith  the  dog  cannot  go  to  the  birds 
too  quickly  consistently  with  steady  performance. 
His  work  then  is  on  both  bevies  and  single  birds.  As 
a  retriever  his  work  is  entirely  on  single  birds.  He 
has  a  puzzling  single  trail  to  follow  if  the  bird  is 
wounded,  and  none  at  all  if  the  bird  is  dead.  To 
best  find  the  wounded  or  dead  bird  it  is  essential  tha  • 
he  carry  his  nose  close  to  the  ground  and  trail  slowly 
and  this  manner  of  retrieving  the  average  dog  sooi. 
learns.  Unfortunately,  this  manner  may  be  user5 


2OO  TRAINING    THE    HUNTING    DOG 

after  a  time  by  the  dog  when  seeking  live  birds,  thus 
using  the  one  manner  whether  seeking  or  finding. 

It  is  comparatively  easy  to  mar  the  best  manner  in 
which  the  dog  uses  his  nose  in  finding,  and  when  so 
marred  it  is  beyond  the  power  of  the  trainer  to  cor- 
rect it. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  2OI 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE  NATURAL  METHOD. 

THE  term  "natural  method"  is  a  misnomer.  It  is 
distinctly  misleading  in  its  significance,  for  instead  of 
being  a  natural  manifestation,  the  vanity  and 
pleasure  of  the  dog  are  catered  to  by  the  trainer  from 
start  to  finish  to  induce  retrieving.  The  dog's  self- 
interest  is  thus  in  a  manner  the  basis  of  the  trainer's 
lessons  and  success. 

To  the  dog  the  lessons  in  this  method  are  moments 
of  mere  delightful  play.  They  are  combined  with 
flattery  and  petting  by  the  trainer,  which  inflate  the 
dog's  body  and  spirit  with  pride  and  delight.  His 
performance  being  thus  dependent  on  his  own 
pleasure,  his  advancement  in  retrieving,  as  a  serious 
work,  or,  indeed,  whether  he  advances  well  or  not  at 
all,  is  accordingly  exceedingly  uncertain.  His  own 
whimsical  inclination  is  always  the  dominant  factor. 
He  engages  in  the  lesson  with  ardor  if  he  feels  in  a 
frolicsome  mood,  or  disdainfully  ignores  it  if  he  feels 


2O2  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

otherwise.  It  should  more  properly  be  called  the 
amusement  system,  for  such  it  really  is. 

It  is,  however,  an  important  adjunct  to  the  so- 
called  force  system,  since  the  same  flattery  and  pet- 
ting have  the  same  good  effect  on  the  dog  when  edu- 
cated by  that  system,  with  the  additional  advantage 
that  he  must  retrieve  whether  he  is  inclined  to  do  so 
or  not.  Force  properly  applied  establishes  implicit 
and  lasting  obedience  as  a  groundwork.  The  amuse- 
ment system  added  thereto  supplements  it  and  fur- 
ther appeals  to  the  dog's  self-interest  by  indulging 
him  in  amusement  which  is  pleasurable.  Later,  when 
in  actual  field  work,  he  comprehends  the  practical 
application  of  retrieving  and  delights  in  the  material 
success  which  it  brings.  However,  as  it  is  generally 
considered  as  being  a  distinct  method,  it  will  be  so 
treated  in  this  work. 

The  "natural"  method,  so  called,  is  not  the  best 
method.  The  "natural"  retriever  is  rarely  a  finished 
retriever.  Although  termed  a  method  it  is  inherently 
devoid  of  method.  Under  it,  instead  of  governing 
the  dog  by  method,  the  whim  of  the  dog  governs  the 
trainer.  It  is  crude  and  uncertain  in  its  principles, 
since  it  is  founded  on  the  simple  acts  of  the  dog  when 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  2O3 

voluntarily  carrying  the  things  in  play  for  his  own 
amusement. 

The  trainer,  adopting  the  idea  of  amusement  from 
the  dog's  standard,  joins  in  the  dog's  frolic  and,  with 
a  liberal  bestowal  of  flattery  to  inveigle  the  dog  into 
making  a  semblance  of  retrieving,  terms  such  tenta- 
tive efforts  a  method. 

Briefly,  the  important  faults  of  the  system  are  that 
it  is  entirely  inoperative  if  the  dog  has  no  inclination 
to  play;  that  dogs  vary  greatly  in  their  capacity  for 
play  when  compared  one  with  another,  and  that  the 
same  dog  at  different  times  varies  widely  in  his 
moods  concerning  it ;  that,  though  a  dog  may  be  in- 
clined to  play  according  to  his  own  liking,  he  may 
not  be  inclined  to  play  according  to  the  liking  of  his 
trainer;  that,  being  taught  in  play,  many  inperfec- 
tions  will  necessarily  be  incorporated  into  his  manner 
of  retrieving ;  that  he  will  never  engage  in  it  as  a 
serious  act  entirely  subject  to  the  will  of  his  trainer ; 
that  aged  dogs,  not  being  playful,  cannot  be  taught 
by  it,  and  that  when  at  any  time  in  his  mature  years 
the  dog  finds  the  work  irksome  or  laborious  to  an  un- 
pleasant degree,  he  will  quit  it  for  good  and  all. 

The  natural  retriever  is  rarely  a  finished  retriever. 


2O4  TRAINING    THE    HUNTING    DOG 

From  the  manner  of  his  education  he  is  predisposed 
to  a  hard  mouth,  to  rolling  the  bird  in  his  mouth  or 
dropping  and  picking  it  up  in  a  dilatory  manner  as  he 
fetches  it  to  his  handler,  and  to  dropping  it  on  the 
ground  several  yards  away  instead  of  bringing  it 
neatly  to  hand  as  he  should. 

If  punished  for  any  fault  concerning  it,  he  is  very 
likely  to  quit  retrieving.  Punishment  inflicted  under 
any  circumstances  is  by  him  understood  to  be  for 
having  the  bird  in  possession  at  all,  instead  of  for  the 
faulty  manner  of  retrieving  it.  In  most  instances,  at 
some  period  of  the  natural  retriever's  life,  he  ceases 
to  maintain  his  interest  in  retrieving  and  thereupon 
refuses  to  further  engage  in  it. 

Nearly  all  puppies  have  an  uncontrollable  desire  to 
play.  They  will  romp  with  each  other  or  with  such 
children  as  will  join  with  them.  The  lone  puppy, 
left  to  his  own  resources,  derives  great  pleasure  in 
fiercely  carrying  about  and  tossing  an  old  shoe,  or 
other  available  object,  simulating  attack  and  defense 
as  if  it  were  alive.  He  is  not  averse  to  engaging  in 
play  with  his  master,  though  the  latter  in  his  mature 
frolics  oftentimes  is  too  ponderous  and  calm  as  to  de- 
portment, and  too  conservative  in  his  standards  of 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.         205 

play,  to  say  nothing  of  his  dangerous  nature  when 
irritated. 

Play  is  the  trait  of  the  dog's  character  in  this 
method  which  the  trainer  must  utilize  in  schooling 
him  to  be  a  retriever.  In  its  application  there  is  no 
fixed  or  arbitrary  rule.  The  trainer's  tactfulness 
and  the  puppy's  playfulness  are  the  factors. 

No  serious  punishment  is  permissible.  Anything 
which  stops  the  puppy  from  playing,  stops  the  educa- 
tion at  the  same  time.  Disapproval  may  be  shown 
when  the  puppy  endeavors  to  rend  or  mouth  the  ob- 
ject to  be  retrieved,  to  the  end  that  he  may  be  checked 
more  or  less  in  his  destructive  tendency,  but  in  that 
respect  disapproval  by  word  and  manner  is  about  as 
far  as  the  trainer  may  safely  venture. 

By  gradual  and  protracted  stages  the  fun  of  the 
puppy  is  more  or  less  imperfectly  developed  into  the 
act  of  retrieving,  by  the  exercise  of  an  infinite  de- 
gree of  patience,  persistency  and  good  temper. 

A  palatable  morsel,  given  to  the  dog  when  he  has 
retrieved  the  object  thrown  out  by  the  trainer,  is  a 
gratifying  profit  to  him  and  therefore  an  appeal  to 
his  self-interest.  However,  when  the  edge  is  gone 
from  his  appetite,  and  therewith  his  self-interest  is 


206  TRAINING  THE   HUNTING  DOG 

dormant  for  the  time  being,  he  is  likely  to  be  indiffer- 
ent to  the  wishes  of  his  trainer. 

Before  beginning  the  lessons,  it  is  better  to  have 
the  puppy's  interest  by  engaging  in  play  with  him  at 
numerous  times  during  the  preceding  weeks,  so  that 
all  his  associations  of  ideas  are  anticipatory  of 
amusement.  Also,  it  is  best  to  prohibit  entirely  all 
efforts  to  amuse  him  on  the  part  of  others.  Thus 
the  puppy  from  habit  looks  to  his  trainer  and  depends 
entirely  upon  him  for  his  moments  of  pleasure;  in 
fact,  if  no  one  else  amuses  him,  he  is  ignorant  of  the 
fact  that  amusement  exists  apart  from  association 
with  his  trainer,  and  success  will  be  according  as 
the  latter  can  bring  himself  down  or  up  to  the  dog's 
standard  of  amusement. 

A  ball,  pad  or  old  glove  makes  a  fairly  good  object 
on  which  to  practice  the  dog  in  retrieving.  It  is  bet- 
ter to  wash  them  frequently  when  used,  as,  from  be- 
slavering and  rolling  on  the  ground,  they  quickly  be- 
come soiled  and  offensive.  An  object  with  iron  nails 
in  it,  so  that  the  dog  cannot  bite  it,  is  best,  but,  un- 
fortunately, such  object  the  dog  refuses  to  hold  in  his 
mouth.  Iron,  when  against  the  dog's  teeth,  is 
specially  repugnant  to  him. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS. 

In  the  first  lessons  the  trainer  permits  the  dog  to 
exercise  his  own  pleasure.  He  is  building  up  an  in- 
terest in  the  sport  which  later  is  to  become  a  busi- 
ness. When  the  dog  is  habituated  to  play,  he  teas- 
ingly  waves  the  object  to  and  fro  before  the  dog's 
eyes  in  a  challenge  for  him  to  seize  it.  This  the  dog 
is  keen  to  accept.  While  he  is  endeavoring  to  seize 
it,  it  is  thrown  alluringly  out  a  few  yards  away,  and 
he  eagerly  scrambles  after  it,  grasps  it  in  his  mouth 
and  struts  about  spiritedly  in  the  pride  of  possession. 
If  the  trainer  endeavors  to  get  it,  the  puppy  by  pan- 
tomime banters  him  to  get  possession  if  he  can  do  so, 
and  by  wily  devices  evades  him  as  much  as  possible 
when  he  comes  too  near. 

At  length  by  craft  and  intimidation  the  trainer 
again  gets  possession  of  the  object  and  throws  it  out 
as  before.  And  thus  the  play  proceeds,  lesson  by 
lesson,  till  from  habit  and  deference  to  mild  author- 
ity the  puppy  obeys  the  order  to  "Fetch,"  which  is  al- 
ways uttered  when  the  object  is  thrown  out,  so  that 
this  command  is  associated  with  the  act  of  fetching. 

The  erratic  faultiness  which  the  puppy  will  display 
from  the  beginning  should  be  corrected  as  positively 
and  as  soon  as  possible,  consistently  with  holding  his 


2O8  TRAINING    THE    HUNTING  DOG 

interest  and  effort.  For  instance,  when  he  retrieves 
the  object  and  the  trainer  is  endeavoring  to  take  it 
from  him,  he  will  hold  it  tightly  in  his  mouth ;  if  the 
trainer  pulls  on  it  forcefully  he  holds  it  the  tighter, 
all  of  which  has  a  tendency  to  make  him  hard- 
mouthed.  If  the  trainer  holds  him  by  the  collar  with 
the  right  hand  and  grasps  the  object  with  his  left,  he 
can  with  the  collar  hold  the  dog  in  place  so  that  he 
cannot  exert  any  force  on  the  object.  Then  he  with 
his  foot  pinches  the  toes  of  the  puppy  while  holding 
him  kindly  but  firmly  in  place,  at  the  same  time  ut- 
tering the  command,  "Give."  In  a  few  lessons  the 
puppy  will  associate  this  command  with  a  pain  in  his 
toes,  and  the  act  of  opening  his  mouth  and  releasing 
the  object  he  will  associate  with  the  avoidance  of 
pain:  thereupon  he  will  open  his  mouth  to  release 
the  object  when  he  hears  the  command.  Thus, 
"Fetch"  denotes  that  he  is  to  retrieve  the  object,  and 
"Give"  denotes  that  he  is  to  release  it  when  he  has 
brought  it  to  hand. 

The  results  of  this  "method"  are  much  as  they 
happen  to  be.  The  lessons  are  continued  through 
weeks  and  months,  from  the  time  the  puppy  is  three 
or  four  months  old  till  he  matures.  With  age  he  be- 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  2OQ 

comes  less  frivolous.  Month  by  month  he  is  less 
playful,  because  it  is  the  natural  evolutionary  de- 
velopment from  youth  to  maturity: 

Many  repetitions  of  the  retrieving  act  become 
habitual,  and  what  he  at  first  did  by  way  of  amuse- 
ment he  may  at  last  do  by  way  of  deference  to  the 
trainer,  to  a  habit  of  life,  to  a  desire  to  win  appro- 
bation, and  to  a  material  self-interest  in  the  way  of 
food  rewards,  or  to  all  combined. 

After  the  puppy  has  reached  a  stage  of  advance- 
ment in  which  he  will  fetch  the  object  with  some  de- 
gree of  regularity  and  certainty,  the  trainer  should 
direct  his  efforts  toward  schooling  the  puppy  to  carry 
the  object  without  mouthing  it.  If  he  acquires  a 
hard  mouth,  shown  by  closing  tightly  on  the  object 
or  chewing  it,  there  is  no  certainty  that  the  fault  can 
ever  be  cured.  In  actual  retrieving,  a  hard-mouthed 
retriever  is  worse  than  none  at  all.  He  mutilates 
and  destroys  more  birds  than  his  services  are  worth. 

To  enforce  steadiness  it  is  better  to  make  the  les- 
sons pertaining  to  it  quite  distinct  from  the  other  re- 
trieving lessons.  The  trainer  ties  a  rope  three  or 
four  feet  long  to  the  puppy's  collar  so  that  he 
can  control  him  easily,  and,  placing  the  object 


2IO  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING  DOG 

in  his  mouth,  he  forces  him  to  hold  it  without 
biting  it. 

If  the  puppy  is  particularly  predisposed  to  bite  it, 
the  object  may  be  prepared  with  nails  in  it,  as  men- 
tioned under  the  head  of  the  force  system.  The  ob- 
ject thus  protected  is  placed  in  the  puppy's  mouth, 
and  he  is  forced  to  keep  it  therein  whether  he  is 
pleased  to  do  so  or  not,  but  all  is  done  with  kindness 
and  firm  deliberation. 

The  lesson  should  be  conducted  without  fright- 
ening him.  If  he  ejects  the  object  from  his  mouth, 
it  should  quickly  be  returned  and  by  quiet  coercion 
he  should  be  forced  to  retain  it. 

He  is  next  required  to  carry  it  steadily  in  his 
mouth  while  the  trainer  leads  him  about.  These  les- 
sons are  persisted  in  day  after  day  till  the  puppy  will 
carry  the  object  without  mouthing  it. 

When  teaching  him  to  carry  steadily,  the  order 
"Steady"  may  be  uttered  every  time  he  attempts  to 
roll  or  chew  the  object,  coincidently  with  a  jerk  on 
the  collar  to  force  him  to  desist,  and  in  time  he  will 
learn  that  the  order  signifies  that  he  is  to  avoid  work- 
ing his  jaws  upon  the  object  he  is  retrieving. 

There  will  be  some  unpleasant  features  to   the 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  21 1 

puppy  in  these  lessons,  but  if  he  is  treated  kindly  as 
to  manner,  though  firmly  as  to  practice,  he  will  not 
remember  them  long,  and,  being  in  separate  lessons, 
he  will  not  associate  them  with  the  main  theme  of  re- 
trieving. 

As  before  intimated,  the  length  of  time  required 
to  teach  retrieving  by  the  natural  method  is  from 
puppyhood  to  maturity.  A  few  families  of  dogs, 
intelligent,  deferential  and  vain  by  nature,  take 
kindly  to  retrieving.  However,  when  taught  by  the 
natural  method,  they  rarely  make  a  finished  perform- 
ance, and  display  all  their  peculiar  selfish  idiosyn- 
crasies in  their  work. 

After  the  puppy  displays  some  steadiness  and 
finish  in  retrieving  the  pad,  or  whatever  other  object 
is  used,  the  wing  or  tail  feathers  of  a  common  barn- 
yard chicken  may  be  tied  to  it,  so  that  he  will  be  ac- 
customed to  grasping  them  with  his  mouth.  Al- 
though no  dog  hesitates  to  grasp  them  when  they 
are  on  a  bird  which  he  himself  has  captured,  many 
dogs  manifest  a  persistent  repugnance  to  them  when 
they  are  attached  to  an  object  to  be  retrieved.  So 
great  is  their  dislike  for  them  that  the  trainer  may 
find  it  necessary  to  place  the  feathery  object  in  the 


212  TRAINING   THE   HUNTING   DOG 

puppy's  mouth  and  force  him  to  carry  it  about,  les- 
son after  lesson,  till  by  familiarity  his  repugnance  is 
worn  out.  He  is  further  schooled  in  fetching  the 
feathered  object  till  he  will  do  so  reliably. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  213 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE  FORCE  SYSTEM. 

As  THE  term  "force  system"  suggests,  it  is  a  sys- 
tem of  teaching  the  dog  retrieving,  which,  in  part, 
is  accomplished  by  the  exercise  of  force.  As  a 
title,  it,  too,  is  misleading  in  its  significance,  since 
force  is  used  only  in  the  elementary  stages  of  the 
lessons,  and  then  to  a  limited  degree. 

The  force,  as  applied,  is  for  the  purpose  of  caus- 
ing pain  to  the  dog.  The  absence  of  pain  is  so  as- 
sociated with  certain  acts  that  he  commits  them  me- 
chanically to  avoid  it.  Pain  of  itself  teaches  the  dog 
nothing  whatever  in  the  way  of  intelligent  and  posi- 
tive retrieving.  Its  scope,  however,  is  quite  suffi- 
cient to  enable  the  trainer  to  lay  a  firm  elementary 
groundwork  upon  which  the  educational  retrieving 
superstructure  may  be  built. 

When  left  to  the  exercise  of  his  own  will  in  the 
use  of  his  mouth,  the  dog  is  predisposed  to  harshly 
grasp  such  objects  as  he  closes  it  upon,  Under  the 


214  TRAINING   THE   HUNTING  DOG 

schooling  of  the  natural  system,  the  manner  in 
which  he  uses  it  is  practically  beyond  the  control  of 
the  trainer.  Indeed,  his  schooling,  under  that  sys- 
tem, has  a  tendency  to  develop  a  hard  mouth  rather 
than  to  preserve  a  tender  one. 

In  the  "force  system,"  the  dog's  manner  of  using 
his  mouth  is  under  the  direct  control  of  the  trainer. 
Tender  grasping  of  the  object  to  be  retrieved  is  a 
feature  of  it  from  the  beginning.  The  dog  notes 
that  when  he  has  the  object  in  his  mouth  pain  ceases. 

The  manner  in  which  the  dog  uses  his  mouth  to 
the  end  that  pain  may  be  avoided,  and  that  which  he 
uses  when  impelled  by  natural  impulse,  are  quite  dis- 
tinct. The  one  is  gentle,  the  other  forceful. 

If  cruelty  is  inflicted  by  any  instrument  which 
causes  pain  to  the  dog,  the  trainer  should  not,  by 
any  sophism,  assume  that  the  cruelty  is  inherent  in 
such  instrument.  The  cruelty,  when  it  exists, 
comes  from  the  application  of  the  punishment. 

Pain  can  be  caused  without  any  injury  whatever 
to  the  dog.  When  the  trainer  loses  his  temper  and 
mutilates  and  shocks  his  dog,  he  should  not  for  a 
moment  imagine  that  the  origin  of  the  cruelty  is  in 
the  collar.  The  latter  being  absent,  his  boot,  club, 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  215 

shotgun  and  whip  would  be  quite  likely  to  come  into 
use,  and  are  then  cruel  instruments,  solely  because 
they  are  so  applied  in  a  cruel  manner  by  a  cruel  man. 

To  teach  the  dog  to  retrieve  from  the  effects  of 
pain,  some  trainers  pinch  the  toes,  the  ears,  the  nose, 
or  apply  the  whip  or  collar.  The  latter  has  the 
special  advantage  of  direct  control  over  the  dog's 
mouth  while  the  pain  is  inflicted.  Pinching1  the 
mouth  hampers  him  in  the  use  of  it.  When  the  pain 
is  inflicted  by  the  other  means  enumerated,  the  dog's 
mouth  is  under  but  little  control,  hence  the  progress 
is  less  positive  and  less  complete. 

In  the  application  of  force,  intelligence,  kindness, 
sympathy  for  the  dog  in  his  efforts  to  perform  the 
desired  act,  good  temper  and  a  knowledge  of  dog 
nature  are  essential  to  the  best  success.  An  ignor- 
ant man  can  apply  more  force,  but  he  should  not  con- 
found his  senseless  punishing  ability  with  true  dog 
training.  To  cause  pain  is  a  limited  aid  to  training; 
it  is  not  the  training  itself. 

Retrievers  trained  after  the  "force  system"  are 
finished  performers  of  their  work.  By  virtue  of  this 
system,  they  have  undergone  a  discipline  which  left 
their  dislikes  ancj  objections  unconsidered.  They 


2l6  TRAINING  THE   HUNTING   DOG 

have  recollections  of  implicit  obedience  only  as  a 
means  of  avoiding  pain.  Their  impressions  con- 
cerning it  are  lifelong. 

A  tender  mouth  can  be  insured  under  this  system 
if  the  trainer  has  ordinary  skill.  Also,  under  it,  the 
dog  can  be  taught  to  retrieve  whether  he  is  old  or 
young.  The  discipline  further  conquers  and  sub- 
jugates him  in  a  general  way,  without  impairing  his 
independence  or  breaking  his  spirit. 

Any  hurry  in  the  training  sh6uld  be  carefully 
avoided.  The  dog  must  have  ample  time  to  compre- 
hend the  purposes  of  his  trainer,  and  to  remember 
what  associated  acts  free  him  from  pain. 

After  the  dog  will  pick  up  the  object  and  fetch 
it  mechanically,  the  so-called  natural  method  is  ap- 
plied, and  the  dog  is  then  petted,  flattered  and  re- 
warded in  his  work,  to  the  end  that  his  enthusiasm 
and  self-interest  may  be  evoked. 

In  the  force  system,  the  progress  may  be  roughly 
differentiated  into  stages — namely,  that  in  which  the 
dog  merely  opens  his  mouth  mechanically  when  he 
hears  the  command  "Fetch!"  as  a  preventive  or 
avoidance  of  pain;  that  in  which  he  will  actively 
engage  in  an  effort  to  grasp  the  object  when  h§  hears 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS. 

the  command,  if  the  object  is  held  on  a  level  with 
his  mouth,  a  few  feet  in  front  of  him ;  that  in  which 
he  will  follow  it  up  and  pick  it  out  of  the  hand  of  the 
trainer,  or  off  the  ground  or  floor,  knowing  then 
fully  that  the  act  if  completed  will  free  him  from 
pain ;  that  in  which  the  attempt  is  made  to  teach  the 
dog  to  pick  up  an  object  off  the  floor  or  ground  with- 
out the  fear  of  the  collar.  If  each  stage  has  been 
thoroughly  inculcated,  but  little,  if  any,  difficulty  will 
be  encountered  in  steady  advancement. 

He  further  must  be  schooled  to  go  after  the  object 
when  it  is  thrown  to  a  distance. 

If  at  first  he  fights  the  collar,  the  trainer  lets  him 
do  so  at  the  end  of  the  check  cord  till  he  entirely  de- 
sists. 

A  corncob  is  a  good  object  to  school  the  dog  on 
in  his  first  lessons.  It  is  not  repugnant  to  him;  it 
is  shaped  so  that  he  can  conveniently  hold  it  in  his 
mouth,  and  a  clean  one  can  be  conveniently  used  at 
every  lesson. 

The  first  lessons  should  be  given  in  a  room,  free 
from  disturbing  noises  and  the  presence  of  spec- 
tators. The  dog  should  face  diagonally  across  his 
trainer  on  the  right  side,  so  that  he  will  be  facing  the 


21 8  TRAINING  THE   HUNTING   DOG 

object  held  in  the  trainer's  left  hand  in  front  of 
him. 

The  running  free  end  of  the  collar  rests  on  top 
of  the  dog's  neck.  A  piece  of  half-inch  rope,  about 
three  feet  long,  is  fastened^to  it.  The  trainer  firmly 
grasps  the  collar  close  up  to  the  dog's  neck,  holds 
the  cob  close  in  front  of  the  dog's  nose,  and  gives 
the  command  "Fetch,"  pulling  firmly  on  the  collar  at 
the  same  time.  If  the  dog  opens  his  mouth  to  cry 
out,  the  cob  is  then  instantly  slipped  into  his  mouth, 
at  the  same  time  slackening  on  the  collar  and  stop- 
ping all  pain. 

The  first  pull  or  two  will  determine  the  character 
of  the  pupil.  He  may  be  tenderly  responsive  to  the 
force,  or  grimly  sulky  and  mute,  or  disposed  to  fight. 
If  he  will  not  open  his  mouth  to  a  jerk  of  the  collar, 
the  trainer  catches  it  close  up  to  the  dog's  neck, 
twists  his  hand  outward,  thereby  drawing  the  collar 
tightly  and  shutting  off  the  dog's  wind  partially,  and 
forcing  him  to  open  his  mouth,  and  the  collar  at  the 
same  time  is  loosened  to  end  the  pain. 

If  he  shows  fight,  the  whip  is  administered  while 
he  is  held  to  the  punishment  with  the  collar,  and 
this  is  continued  till  all  the  fight  is  taken  out  of  him. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS. 

After  each  command  to  "Fetch,"  with  the  corre- 
sponding pull  on  the  collar  and  insertion  of  the  cob 
in  the  dog's  mouth,  the  trainer  waits  a  few  moments, 
soothing  the  dog  to  restore  his  confidence.  When  he 
holds  it  well,  leave  it  in  his  mouth  a  few  moments 
and  praise  him.  If  he  eject  it,  replace  it  instantly  in  his 
mouth,  at  the  same  time  giving  him  a  sharp  admon- 
itory jerk. 

His  little  weaknesses  should  be*  studied,  so  that 
advantage  may  be  taken  of  them.  Make  the  first 
lessons  short.  There  is  plenty  of  time  to  teach  the 
dog  the  accomplishment,  and  there  are  two  things 
therewith  to  ever  keep  in  mind — namely,  to  avoid 
hurry  and  to  keep  in  good  temper.  The  dog  must 
have  time  to  comprehend  the  purposes  of  the  trainer  ; 
to  associate  the  command  and  pain  with  the  act 
which  will  avoid  the  latter,  and  to  memorize  all  the 
particulars  which  make  up  the  lesson.  When  hur- 
ried or  distressed  from  the  confusion,  he  becomes 
overheated  and  holds  his  mouth  open  while  panting, 
at  which  juncture  he  cannot  close  it  on  the  cob  with- 
out great  distress. 

Each  lesson  should  end  in  a  romp  after  the  collar 
is  removed,  thereby  completely  restoring  the  dog's 


22O  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

confidence,  and  making  a  pleasant  ending  to  the 
lesson. 

The  first  simple  lessons  should  be  continued  till 
the  dog  will  open  his  mouth  promptly  the  moment 
that  he  hears  the  order  "Fetch."  The  next  stage 
is  to  teach  him  to  step  forward  and  grasp  the  cob 
when  he  hears  the  command.  The  dog  is  now 
brought  into  active  instead  of  passive  obedience. 
He  must  act  instead  of  being  acted  upon.  The 
trainer  holds  the  cob  about  a  foot  in  front  of  the 
dog's  nose,  gives  the  command  "Fetch,"  at  the  same 
time  jerking  him  forward  sharply  to  the  cob,  which 
he  is  induced  to  seize,  and  which  he  will  seize  when 
within  reach  of  it,  if  the  preliminary  lessons  have 
been  properly  inculcated.  These  lessons  teach  the 
dog  to  advance  forward  for  the  cob  when  he  hears 
the  command. 

When  the  dog  has  grasped  the  cob,  or  when 
he  has  in  good  faith  attempted  to  do  so  and  failed, 
the  punishment  should  instantly  cease. 

When  he  quite  realizes  the  virtue  of  the  cob  in 
his  mouth  in  affording  immunity  from  punishment, 
he  will  object  to  release  it  even  when  the  trainer  so 
desires,  Its  absence  he  learns  after  a  time  signifies 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  221 

that  punishment  impends.  When  he  releases  it,  ca- 
ress and  reassure  him.  If  he  closes  tightly  on  it  and 
refuses  to  deliver  it,  no  violence  or  impatience  should 
be  manifested.  Grasp  the  cob  in  the  left  hand  gently, 
utter  the  command  "Give,"  stepping  on  the  toes  of 
one  of  his  forefeet  at  the  same  time.  It  is  not  neces- 
sary to  pinch  them  severely.  A  gentle  pressure  will 
be  quite  sufficient  to  accomplish  the  purpose.  The 
order  "Give"  will  be  promptly  obeyed  after  a  few 
lessons  given  in  this  manner. 

Up  to  this  stage  the  dog,  as  a  general  rule,  acts 
mechanically.  He  steps  forward  and  puts  his  mouth 
on  the  cob  because  the  act  saves  him  from  pain.  He 
has  not  perception  sufficient  to  enable  him  to  com- 
prehend that  it  is  necessary  for  him  to  lower  his  head 
if  the  trainer  holds  the  cob  near  the  floor  in  front  of 
him.  At  this  stage  the  dog's  natural  inclination  to 
grasp  a  moving  object  may  be  aroused,  and  then  he 
may  follow  it  up  and  grasp  it  on  his  own  initiative. 
When  this  is  evoked,  the  rest  of  the  training  is  easy. 
The  trainer  caters  to  the  dog's  inclination  to  make 
it  an  amusement.  The  command  "Fetch"  is  given, 
the  cob  is  wiggled  teasingly  close  to  his  nose,  and 
when  he  follows  after  it,  it  is  moved  two  or  three 


222  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

feet  further  on,  till  he  overtakes  and  closes  his  mouth 
on  it. 

Some  dogs  soon  develop  an  enthusiastic  inclina- 
tion to  enter  into  the  matter  as  an  amusement  at  this 
stage,  but  no  more  playfulness  should  be  permitted 
than  is  necessary  to  make  the  lessons  cheerful  and 
successful.  The  grave  and  gay  should  be  properly 
blended. 

If  the  dog,  however,  refuses  to  be  amused,  the 
trainer  lowers  the  cob  an  inch  or  two  below  the  level 
of  the  dog's  mouth,  and  forces  him  to  grasp  it  in  the 
new  position.  Lesson  after  lesson  the  cob  is  low- 
ered little  by  little  as  the  dog  becomes  proficient,  till 
at  length  he  will  take  it  from  the  trainer's  hand  held 
at  the  level  of  the  floor. 

At  this  stage  the  dog  in  most  instances  requires 
extra  patience  in  conducting  his  lessons.  He  has 
been  habituated  to  associating  the  cob  and  hand  to- 
gether, and  has  looked  to  the  moving  hand  as  the 
thing  to  follow  when  ordered  to  "Fetch."  Hence, 
when  the  trainer  places  the  cob  on  the  floor,  uttering 
the  command  and  taking  his  hand  away,  the  dog  is 
likely  to  follow  the  moving  hand  instead  of  grasp- 
ing the  cob.  To  overcome  this,  the  trainer  places  the 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  22^ 

cob  on  the  floor  in  front  of  the  dog,  utters  the  com- 
mand, and  then  moves  his  hand  to  one  side  an  inch 
or  two  only.  If  the  dog  goes  to  the  hand,  it  is  then 
an  easy  matter  to  direct  his  attention  to  the  cob. 

As  the  lessons  progress,  the  hand  may  be  moved 
away  to  greater  and  greater  distances,  as  the  dog 
more  and  more  learns  that  the  cob  is  the  matter 
under  consideration. 

He  can  grasp  it  with  much  greater  ease  and  quick- 
ness, thereby  advancing  better  in  his  training,  if  two 
sticks  about  three  inches  in  length  are  placed  at  right 
angles  in  each  end  of  it,  thus  forming  a  kind  of  saw- 
horse. 

After  the  dog  will  pick  up  the  cob  when  placed 
on  the  floor  close  in  front  of  him,  another  stage  may 
be  attempted.  The  cob  is  tossed  gently  a  foot  or 
two  in  front  of  him,  care  being  taken  to  have  him 
see  it  when  tossed.  He  is  prompted  to  go  for  it  by 
kind  inducement,  if  possible;  if  he  refuses,  he  is 
forced  forward  with  the  collar. 

A  longer  and  lighter  check  cord  may  be  used  at 
this  stage,  accordingly  as  the  dog  broadens  in  the 
scope  of  his  work. 

A  great  deal  of  difficulty  will  be  encountered  if 


224  TRAINING   THE    HUNTING   DOG 

the  preceding  lessons  have  been  hurried,  or  if  they 
have  been  imperfectly  taught,  either  or  both  of 
which  are  quite  probable  in  the  first  attempts  of  the 
amateur.  If  progress  is  made  in  a  proper  manner, 
each  stage  is  easy  and  certain,  with  the  infliction  of 
little  pain  or  none  at  all.  If  the  trainer  cannot  con- 
duct the  spike-collar  lessons  in  a  proper  manner,  it 
is  much  better  for  himself  and  infinitely  better  for 
the  dog  that  the  system  be  abandoned. 

If  at  any  time  the  dog  shows  a  disposition  to  bite 
the  cob,  some  slim  ten-penny  nails  should  be  tied 
half  an  inch  apart,  lengthwise  to  it,  so  that  its  sur- 
face is  protected  by  the  iron.  This,  against  his  teeth, 
is  abhorrent  to  him.  He  will  at  first  refuse  to  grasp 
it,  but  when  forced  to  do  so  will  carry  it,  and  with 
exceeding  tenderness. 

Next  he  is  given  lessons  in  retrieving  a  dead  bird. 
It  is  better  to  protect  it  with  nails  at  first,  both  to 
prevent  him  from  pinching  it  with  his  teeth,  to  asso- 
ciate it  with  pain  to  the  teeth  if  grasped  too  hard, and 
to  insure  a  habit  of  tenderness  from  the  first  to  the 
last  attempts  in  retrieving  birds.  He  will  require  a 
number  of  lessons  to  perfect  him  in  this. 

Next  he  should  be  taught  to  refrain  from  going 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  22 5 

after  the  object  till  he  is  ordered  to  do  so.  It  is 
better  to  make  him  "Drop,"  and  so  remain  till  he 
hears  the  order  to  "Fetch." 

In  the  lessons  teach  one  order  at  a  time.  Do  not 
order  the  dog  to  "Fetch/'  and  as  he  starts  to  obey 
do  not  command  him  to  "Drop,"  or  "Toho,"  etc. 
Such  training  balks  and  confuses  him.  One  order 
and  obedience  to  it  are  sufficient  at  one  time.  Good 
progress  on  the  part  of  the  dog  is  consequent  to  in- 
dustry and  good  sense  on  the  part  of  the  trainer.  If 
the  good  sense  is  absent,  the  dog  should  be  held 
blameless. 

Each  part  in  detail  should  be  perfected.  The  dog 
should  be  required  to  remain  passive  till  he  is  given 
the  command  "Fetch,"  then  to  go  directly  to  the 
bird,  pick  it  up  gently  and  quickly,  and  return  in  a 
direct  line  to  the  trainer.  No  nosing  of  the  bird,  nor 
dawdling  on  the  way,  either  when  going  to  or  com- 
ing with  it,  should  be  tolerated.  The  bird  should  be 
delivered  in  hand,  and  released  instantly  on  the  order 
"Give." 

The  retriever  should  be  thoroughly  proficient  in 
all  the  yard  lessons  before  any  attempts  are  made 
at  actual  field  work,  and  then  great  care  should  be 


226  TRAINING  THE  HUNTING  DOG 

exercised  to  guard  against  two  dogs  attempting  to 
retrieve  the  same  bird,  or  against  interference  with  a 
good  retriever  by  a  partly  broken  dog.  A  thor- 
oughly trained  dog  may  be  demoralized  in  a  few  mo- 
ments by  such  bad  management. 

Some  preliminary  training  may  be  given  the  dog 
afield,  which  in  a  way  will  be  of  value  in  marking  the 
flight  of  birds  and  in  "seeking  dead."  The  cob  is 
shown  to  him,  then  thrown  in  the  air  far  away, 
where  he  can  see  it  and  mark  its  flight.  He  is  not 
permitted  to  go  after  it  till  he  is  ordered  to  "Fetch." 
He  will  then  have  some  difficulty  in  finding  it,  and 
will  rake  the  ground  about  with  his  nose  in  an  effort 
to  catch  scent  of  it.  The  lessons  may  be  varied  by 
throwing  the  cob  to  the  opposite  side  of  walls,  fences, 
bushes,  etq.,  thus  enabling  the  dog  to  see  part  of  its 
flight,  but  preventing  him  from  seeing  it  land.  When 
assisting  the  dog  to  search  for  it,  the  trainer  utters 
the  command  "Seek,"  or  "Find,"  or  whatever  other 
command  he  may  fancy,  at  the  same  time  affecting 
earnestness  in  searching  for  it  himself.  In  this  man- 
ner, after  a  sufficient  number  of  lessons,  the  dog  will 
mark  the  cob's"  flight  quite  accurately,  will  find  it 
with  reasonable  quickness,  and  will  learn  the  signifi- 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  22/ 

cance  of  the  commands  pertaining  to  searching  for 
it. 

These  lessons  should  be  given  in  moderation,  as 
they  have  a  decided  tendency  to  develop  the  carriage 
of  a  low  nose,  a  style  of  work  which  should  be  dis- 
couraged as  much  as  possible  in  a  dog  used  as  a 
bird  finder. 

In  respect  to  actual  field  work,  after  the  dog  is 
perfected  in  retrieving,  the  trainer  should  ever  bear 
in  mind  that  all  retrievers  are  not  alike,  even  when 
perfectly  educated,  and  that  circumstances  alter 
cases.  Dogs  vary  greatly  in  strength.  A  dog  phys- 
ically small  and  delicate  might  be  an  excellent  re- 
triever of  quail  and  woodcock,  and  yet  be  a  poor 
retriever  of  prairie  chickens,  owing  to  their  extra 
weight. 

The  dog  at  best,  owing  to  his  construction,  is  not 
a  good  weight  carrier.  Moreover,  when  required  to 
retrieve  large  birds  on  a  hot  day,  he,  if  panting  vio- 
lently, may  be  forced  to  drop  the  bird  so  that  he  can 
breathe,  etc.  The  shooter  should  have  some  consid- 
eration and  charity  for  his  dog  under  such  circum- 
stances. He  has  consideration  for  himself,  as  shown 
by  his  voluminous  excuses  for  missing  a  bird,  as 


228  TRAINING  THE  HUNTING  DOG 

shown  by  the  plea  that  he  didn't  know  it  was  loaded, 
or  by  resting  in  the  shade  when  uncomfortably 
warm,  etc. 

However  well  a  dog  may  perform  in  his  yard 
lessons,  they  cannot  be  accepted  as  final  data  con- 
cerning his  actual  work  afield.  Carrying  an  object 
to  hand  is  not  all  of  retrieving.  The  dog  must  have 
a  keen  intelligence,  so  that  he  will  understand  how 
to  work  intelligently  to  the  gun ;  he  must  have  a  keen 
nose,  so  that  he  may  be  able  to  trail  running  birds  to 
their  hiding  places,  and  locate  the  dead  ones;  he 
should  have  a  pleasant,  tractable  disposition  and  take 
pleasure  in  his  work ;  he  should  be  able  to  mark  and 
remember  the  flight  of  wounded  birds,  and  also  be 
able  to  distinguish  between  the  flight  of  a  wounded 
bird  and  one  which  is  not. 

The  finished  retriever  does  his  work  expeditiously 
and  accurately,  because  he  knows  what  to  do  and 
how  to  do  it.  The  poor  retriever  knows  but  little 
more  than  how  to  fetch  a  bird  when  he  comes  across 
it.  All  the  intelligent  cognizance  of  details  is  lost 
to  him. 

Retrieving  ducks  and  geese  is  too  laborious  work 
for  the  average  pointer  and  setter.  Furthermore, 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  22Q 

their  constitution  is  not  sufficiently  strong  to  with- 
stand the  shock  and  exposure  incident  to  it,  if  they 
are  used  as  retrievers  of  wildfowl  for  any  length  of 
time. 


23O  TRAINING  THE  HUNTING  DOG 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

GUN-SHYNESS  AND  BLINKING. 

THE  dog  flees  from  the  sight  of  a  gun  or  the  re- 
port of  it  simply  because  he  is  afraid,  and  this  dis- 
play of  fear  is  called  gun-shyness.  It  is  one  of  the 
most  common  educational  troubles  which  embar- 
rass and  obstruct  the  efforts  of  the  amateur.  It  is 
commonly  the  result  of  his  own  faulty  attempts  at 
training,  or  the  acts  of  those  who  are  equally 
thoughtless. 

The  novice,  in  most  cases,  proceeds  on  a  wrong 
theory  in  his  endeavor  to  accustom  the  dog  to  the 
report  of  the  gun.  His  own  knowledge  of  it  is  gen- 
erally and  unconsciously  made  the  standard  by  which 
to  measure  the  puppy's  knowledge. 

Generally  the  trainer  fails  to  consider  that  the 
puppy  is  wholly  ignorant  concerning  the  uses  of  the 
gun,  and  that  its  terrorizing  reports,  which  cause 
fear  in  many  boys,  also  may  be  to  the  puppy  a  cause 
of  intense  fear.  If  the  trainer  would  keep  in  mind 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  23! 

that  his  own  early  boyhood,  with  its  timidity,  ignor- 
ance and  immaturity,  is  a  better  standard  by  which 
sympathetically  to  understand  and  school  the  puppy, 
he  rarely,  if  ever,  would  have  cases  of  gun-shyness. 

Men  of  excellent  sense  in  other  matters  assume 
as  a  matter  of  course  that  a  dog  and  gun  were  made 
as  natural  corollaries  of  each  other,  and  hence  could 
be  used  together  as  if  they  were  litter  brothers.  Any- 
thing short  of  success  in  the  application  of  the  the- 
ory is  ascribed  to  the  dog's  nature. 

To  punish  a  dog  for  his  fears  adds  to  and  con- 
firms him  in  them.  The  fact  that  so  many  dogs  are 
cured  of  gun-shyness  is  positive  proof  that  they  never 
would  have  been  afraid  of  the  gun  if  they  had  been 
properly  accustomed  to  it  from  the  beginning.  It  is 
a  self-evident  fact  that  if  a  dog's  shyness  of  the  gun 
can  be  allayed,  after  he  has  acquired  a  fear  of  it,  by 
proper  treatment,  before  he  has  any  fears  of  it  at 
all  he  can  be  familiarized  with  its  use,  without 
causing  him  alarm.  A  little  care  at  first  in  familiar- 
izing the  puppy  with  the  noise  of  the  gun  will  often- 
times save  many  weeks  or  months  of  later  trouble, 
and  add  so  much  more  to  his  usefulness. 

However,  the  trainer  will  have  cases  of  gun-shy- 


232  TRAINING  THE  HUNTING  DOG 

ness  to  cure,  resulting  either  from  his  own  mistakes 
or  those  of  others,  and  therefore  it  is  necessary  that 
he  should  know  the  best  methods  of  treatment  for  it. 

Some  apparently  mild  cases  persist  to  a  discourag- 
ing degree,  while  under  favorable  circumstances 
some  bad  cases  may  be  cured  readily.  Nevertheless, 
the  degree  of  shyness  exhibited  is  no  criterion  of  the 
length  of  time  required  to  effect  a  cure,  nor  is  there 
any  arbitrary  method  by  which  a  cure  may  be  ef- 
fected. 

Highly  nervous  dogs  are  easily  made  gun-shy  if 
the  trainer  has  been  so  thoughtless  as  to  frighten 
them  by  heedlessly  firing  the  gun.  Indeed,  the  dogs 
of  steadiest  nerves  can  easily  be  made  gun-shy  if  the 
report  of  the  gun  is  associated  with  pain,  as  when 
punishment  is  inflicted  in  training  the  dog  to  drop 
to  shot,  or  for  breaking  shot,  etc.  If  the  dog,  fur- 
thermore, is  afraid  of  his  trainer,  any  unusual  or 
extra  serious  acts  of  the  latter  are  regarded  with 
alarming  apprehension,  and  evoke  purpose  to  seek 
safety  by  flight. 

Gun-shy  dogs  pursue  quite  distinct  ways  in  seek- 
ing safety  from  the  gun  or  avoiding  it.  Some  run 
away  entirely,  either  returning  home  or  going  afield, 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  233 

or  taking  advantage  of  the  opportunity  to  self-hunt; 
others  seek  the  first  place  which  affords  concealment, 
and  tremblingly  hide  therein;  or,  terror-stricken, 
others  may  lie  down  a  few  yards  away  and  curl  up 
apathetically;  or  they  may  range  at  a  safe  distance 
from  the  handler  and  outside  of  his  control.  Some 
will  be  afraid  at  the  sight  of  a  gun ;  others  will  show 
no  fear  of  it  till  it  is  placed  at  the  shoulder  as  if  to 
fire  it,  while  others,  again,  have  fear  only  of  the 
report. 

There  are  three  essentials  to  be  observed  in  curing 
gun-shyness — namely,  the  dog  must  not  be  permitted 
to  run  away,  the  gun  must  be  used  in  a  manner 
which  impresses  as  having  no  reference  to  him 
at  all,  and  the  trainer  must  have  his  pupil's  confi- 
dence and  affection,  for  if  the  pupil  is  afraid  of  both 
gun  and  trainer  (gun-shy  and  trainer-shy),  the  pros- 
pect of  a  cure  is  not  hopeful.  Fear  of  the  trainer, 
if  such  there  be,  must  first  be  allayed  before  any  suc- 
cessful attempt  can  be  made  to  cure  the  dog's  gun- 
shyness. 

There  are  different  methods  of  cure.  If  the  dog 
is  inclined  to  run  away  when  his  gun  fears  are  ex- 
cited, he  should  be  taken  into  an  inclosed  yard,  from 


234  TRAINING  THE  HUNTING  DOG 

which  he  cannot  escape.  The  trainer  should  assume 
a  kind,  careless,  nonchalant  air,  and  seem  to  be  in- 
terested in  any  other  thing  than  his  pupil.  Above 
all,  the  serious,  portentous  air,  such  as  the  trainer 
has  when  he  is  about  to  give  the  puppy  a  thrashing, 
should  be  avoided,  although  such,  nevertheless,  is 
quite  likely  to  be  the  air  that  the  amateur  will  as- 
sume. By  sternly  concentrating  the  attention  on  a 
dog,  and  advancing  on  him  with  more  or  less  hos- 
tility of  manner,  the  bravest  dog  will  become  fear- 
ful of  harm. 

If  the  dog  will  not  bolt  at  the  report  of  the  gun, 
no  precautions  against  running  away  are  necessary, 
but  whether  in  field  or  yard,  the  gun  as  a  factor  of 
the  lesson  should  be  kept  in  abeyance  for  a  while. 
The  effort  should  be  directed  toward  making  the  in- 
cident commonplace  and  unimportant.  There  should 
be  as  much  of  the  pleasurable  and  as  little  of  the 
painful  as  possible  in  it.  A  few  palatable  morsels  to 
eat,  some  gentle  patting  on  the  head  and  kind  words 
of  approval  bestowed  on  the  pupil  will  not  be  amiss 
at  different  timely  stages  of  the  lesson.  After  a 
time,  when  the  pupil  is  not  so  apprehensive  of  it,  a 
cap  is  snapped,  and  the  trainer  looks  at  anything 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  235 

other  than  the  dog  at  this  juncture.  He  can  see 
what  the  dog  is  doing  without  looking  directly  at 
him.  The  latter,  when  he  hears  the  report,  is  likely 
to  scrutinize  the  trainer  closely,  and  if  he  detects 
no  purpose  referring  to  himself,  he  passes  the  inci- 
dent by  as  a  matter  of  no  importance.  On  the  other 
hand,  let  the  trainer  look  hard  at  the  dog,  and  im- 
press upon  him  that  all  the  alarms  are  directed  at 
him,  and  the  matter  is  made  worse  instead  of  better. 
If  he  runs  to  a  corner  and  curls  up  in  fancied  secur- 
ity, he  must  be  brought  gently  back,  and  the  same 
deliberate  procedure  is  continued. 

Another  method,  often  successful,  is  to  place  the 
dog's  food  in  its  regular  place  at  the  regular  time, 
and  then  to  shoot  at  a  reasonable  distance  away  when 
the  dog  begins  to  eat.  If  he  bolts  into  his  kennel,  the 
food  is  quietly  removed,  and  none  given  again  till 
the  next  meal  time,  when  the  lesson  is  again  repeated 
as  at  first.  In  time  his  hunger  will  become  so  raven- 
ously importunate  that  he  will  appease  it  regardless 
of  all  fears.  The  noise  of  the  gun  coincidentally  will 
have  a  grateful  significance  and  a  pleasant  associa- 
tion, so  that  the  fears  will  give  way  to  delighted 
eagerness.  As  a  matter  of  course,  under  this  method 


236  TRAINING  THE   HUNTING  DOG 

the  dog's  liberty  is  restricted  at  all  times,  otherwise 
he  would  seek  food  independently. 

If  the  dog  is  a  confirmed  bolter,  it  is  better  to  take 
him  at  once  into  the  open  field  for  his  lessons.  He 
must  be  prevented  from  running  away,  and  hence 
the  spike  collar  and  check  cord  come  into  useful  play 
at  this  juncture.  They  do  not  in  the  least  allay  his 
fears  of  the  gun,  nor  have  they  any  inherent  powers 
of  cure  concerning  it.  They  simply  prevent  or  de- 
ter him  from  running  away,  and  thus  prevented  he 
must  be,  else  a  cure  cannot  be  effected.  Then,  shoot- 
ing with  judgment  and  exhibiting  kindness,  an  un- 
concerned manner,  and  a  judicious  bestowal  of  re- 
wards will  effect  a  cure  in  the  majority  of  cases. 

Dogs  have  been  cured  by  taking  them  to  a  trap- 
shooting  tournament  and  chaining  them  in  a  safe 
place  near-by  the  shooters,  Neither  dog  nor  man  can 
remain  continuously  in  a  state  of  fright,  whether  the 
danger  is  real  or  imaginary.  Continuous  firing, 
hour  after  hour,  merely  wears  out  the  dog's  fright, 
and  he  becomes  accustomed  to  it  from  habit. 

If  the  dog  has  ordinary  courage  and  sense,  the 
cure  is  sometimes  effected  in  the  field  in  a  moment. 
If  he  has  a  desire  to  pursue  birds,  he  may  be  led  on 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  237 

a  long  cord  into  a  field  where  they  are  numerous, 
and  when  one  attracts  his  attention  it  is  shot,  if  not 
protected  by  law,  and  he  is  permitted  to  capture  it. 
Again,  if  he  can  in  any  way  be  induced  to  chase  a 
rabbit,  if  the  trainer  can  shoot  it  ahead  of  him  while 
he  is  in  close  pursuit,  a  cure  is  in  most  instances  ef- 
fected then  and  there. 

The  company  of  an  old,  steady  dog  is  at  all  times 
reassuring,  regardless  of  his  breed  or  special  hunt- 
ing proclivities.  A  rabbit  dog,  however,  is  likely  to 
be  the  best  assistant.  Nothing  so  excites  the  spirit 
of  the  chase  in  a  dog  as  to  see  or  hear  another  dog 
in  full  cry  after  a  rabbit. 

A  gun-shy  dog  should  never  be  worked  on  game 
birds  before  he  is  fully  cured  of  his  fault,  otherwise 
the  chances  are  great  that  he  becomes  bird-shy  and  a 
blinker.  If  he  has  both  faults,  he  must  have  excep- 
tionally good  qualities  if  he  is  worth  the  attempt  to 
cure  him. 

A  blinker  is  cured  by  kind  treatment,  by  permit- 
ting him  to  eat  the  entrails  of  the  birds  which  are 
shot,  and  by  ignoring  any  faults  and  errors  of  which 
he  may  be  guilty.  Sometimes  the  one  who  caused 
the  blinking  can  never  cure  it,  and  therefore  it  is 


238  TRAINING  THE  HUNTING  DOG 

necessary  to  place  the  pupil  in  the  charge  of  another 
trainer. 

Much  has  been  written  on  the  heredity  of  gun-shy- 
ness, but  most  of  the  writers  on  it  have  succeeded 
better  in  proving  that  they  were  not  quite  familiar 
with  what  constitutes  heredity  than  that  the  dog's 
fears  were  transmitted.  Dogs  of  a  highly  nervous 
and  excitable  temperament,  with  a  silly  mentality, 
show  alarm  at  any  strange  noises,  whether  caused 
by  the  gun  or  anything  else.  Inherited  nervousness 
or  cowardice  would  be  a  better  term  for  the  trait. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  239 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE   TOOLS   OF  TRAINING. 

THE  whip,  whistle,  spike  collar  and  check  cord  are 
all  the  instruments  the  trainer  needs  to  perfect  the 
dog  in  his  education  for  work  to  the  gun. 

Both  whip  and  spike  collar  have  been  denounced 
as  cruel  instruments.  They  are  cruel  or  not,  accord- 
ing as  they  are  used.  The  cruelty  therefore  is  in 
their  application,  which  is  a  manifestation  of  the 
trainer's  purposes. 

If  the  trainer  cannot  use  the  spike  collar  without 
being  cruel,  it  is  better  for  him  to  entirely  forego  its 
use,  as  it  is  better  also  to  forego  any  attempts  at 
training  if  he  cannot  control  his  temper. 

When  properly  applied,  the  collar  inflicts  pain 
without  mutilation.  It  serves  a  useful  purpose,  and 
its  use  therefore  can  be  justified  on  that  score.  Break- 
ing the  colt  to  harness,  which  at  first  hurts  him,  or 
breaking  the  ox  to  the  yoke,  inflicts  certain  degrees 
of  pain,  yet  if  not  carried  to  unnecessary  lengths 


240  TRAINING  THE  HUNTING  DOG 

no  one  considers  that  cruelty  is  inflicted.  One  or 
two  cuts  from  a  heavy  whalebone  whip  raises  welts 
on  the  side  of  the  roadster,  and  causes  a  greater  in- 
tensity of  suffering  than  there  would  be  occasion  to 
inflict  in  all  the  lessons  of  the  average  retriever. 

Anger  and  violence  result  in  cruelty.  When  they 
are  exhibited,  the  trainer  is  such  in  name  only.  He 
then  is  unfit  to  teach,  and  incapacitates  the  pupil. 

The  best  training  collar,  though  called  a  spike 
collar,  is  a  combination  of  both  spike  and  choke 
collar.  Its  construction  should  be  simple  and  its 
material  of  the  best.  The  leather  should  be  me- 
dium weight  harness  leather,  without  sponginess 
or  flaws  of  any  kind.  For  convenience  in  use,  the 
collar  is  made  in  two  parts.  The  longer  part  should 
be  from  22  inches  to  24  inches  in  length  by  i| 
inches  in  width.  An  iron  oblong,  sufficiently 
large  to  allow  the  free  end  of  the  strap  to  play 
through  it,  is  sewed  in  one  end  of  the  strap.  If  the 
ring  were  used  it  would  allow  the  strap  to  twist 
around ;  the  oblong  prevents  it  from  doing  so.  The 
spikes,  six  in  number,  are  screwed  through  steel 
plates  on  one  side  of  the  strap,  two  to  a  plate,  and 
are  secured  by  nuts  screwed  on  them  on  the  oppo- 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  24! 

site  side  of  the  strap.  The  spikes  should  project  in- 
wardly about  one-half  inch.  The  points  should  have 
a  bevel  of  about  45  degrees,  so  that  they  will  hurt 
without  cutting  or  puncturing  the  skin.  The  shorter 
strap,  2  or  3  inches  in  length,  has  a  square  buckle 
at  one  end  to  buckle  on  the  free  end  of  the  collar, 
and  a  ring  is  at  the  other  end  in  which  to  fasten  the 
check  cord. 

The  whip  is  carried  and  used  to  punish  the  dog 
for  any  misbehavior  in  a  general  way.  Its  presence 
has  a  beneficial  moral  effect.  While  the  dog  enjoys 
the  society  of  his  master  as  a  companion,  he  detests 
any  servitude  which  conflicts  with  his  own  spontan- 
eous actions  or  purposes,  and  he  obeys  many  times 
for  no  other  reason  than  that  it  is  compulsory. 

The  presence  of  the  whip  and  its  significance  do 
much  to  maintain  discipline.  For  its  moral  effect, 
many  trainers  carry  it  fastened  to  the  coat,  where  it 
is  in  sight  at  all  times,  and  where  it  is  instantly  avail- 
able when  needed.  The  majority  of  trainers  and 
shooters,  however,  carry  it  in  the  pocket.  The  kinds 
most  in  favor  are  flexible,  so  that  they  may  be  rolled 
up  and  stowed  in  a  small  compass. 

Whips  heavily  loaded  with  iron  or  lead  should 


242  TRAINING  THE  HUNTING  DOG 

never  be  used,  as  they  are  unpleasant  to  carry,  and, 
as  a  slung-shot,  are  not  at  all  needed  in  furtherance 
of  the  dog's  education. 

A  silk  or  linen  cracker  on  the  end  of  the  whip 
adds  to  its  effectiveness.  It  also  preserves  the  lash 
from  wearing  out.  An  admonitory  crack  of  it  often 
will  serve  to  adjust  the  dog's  efforts  quite  as  well 
as  a  whipping. 

The  check  cord  serves  a  most  useful  purpose  in 
keeping  the  dog  under  control  at  such  times  as  he 
would  misbehave  or  interfere  if  left  to  his  own  will, 
or  run  away  if  he  is  displeased  or  afraid.  It  also 
comes  efficiently  into  use  in  many  parts  of  the  field 
and  yard  breaking. 

A  braided  cord  is  the  best.  It  does  not  require  so 
much  care  in  coiling  it  for  the  pocket,  and  it  cannot 
untwist  in  the  annoying  manner  peculiar  to  common 
rope. 

The  cord  used  to  connect  windows  with  their 
counterbalance  serves  admirably  the  purposes  of  a 
check  cord.  A  one-quarter-inch  line  is  quite  large 
enough  for  all  field  purposes,  although  in  the  yard 
lessons  a  one-half-inch  line,  as  being  easier  on  the 
hands,  may  be  preferable.  The  check  cord  should 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  243 

be  as  short  as  is  consistent  with  effecting  the  desired 
purpose.  If  used  beyond  a  certain  length,  which  is 
variable,  according  to  the  special  matter  to  be  ac- 
complished, it  is  more  or  less  cumbersome  and  un- 
manageable. When  not  in  use  it  should  be  coiled 
carefully,  so  that  when  one  end  is  fastened  to  the 
dog's  collar  the  rest  of  it  will  play  freely  without 
tangling  or  kinking. 

The  whistle  serves  as  a  great  aid  in  handling  the 
dog  when  he  is  seeking  for  prey.  It  should  have  a 
good  tone,  of  medium  pitch.  Metallic  whistles  have 
a  tendency  to  make  the  mouth  sore,  and  when  full 
of  frost  in  cold  weather  are  painful  to  the  teeth  and 
lips.  For  use,  it  is  best  suspended  from  near  the 
hunting-coat  collar  in  front  by  a  string  of  sufficient 
length. 

The  senseless  and  continuous  whistling  practiced 
by  some  trainers  and  shooters  should  be  studiously 
avoided.  To  the  dog,  the  blasts  have  a  meaning 
only  when  they  are  associated  with  definite  ideas, 
and  such  he  cannot  have  if  the  whistling  is  continu- 
ous. If  the  whistle  is  carried  habitually  in  the  mouth 
there  is  a  great  temptation  to  blow  it  unnecessarily, 
therefore  it  is  better  to  keep  it  in  the  pocket  until  it 


244  TRAINING  THE  HUNTING  DOG 

is  actually  needed.  Men  who  carry  it  in  their  mouths 
continuously  are  prone  to  acquire  a  drawn,  anxious 
look,  and  are  ever  alert  to  blow  it  on  the  slightest 
pretext  of  setting  the  dog  aright  in  his  seeking. 
Probably  nine  out  of  ten  of  the  blasts  on  the  whistle 
are  unnecessary,  and  therefore  more  or  less  harmful. 
Its  only  useful  place  in  the  management  of  the  dog 
.at  work  is  to  turn  him  if  taking  a  cast  too  wide;  to 
attract  his  attention  to  a  signal  of  the  hand,  which 
the  shooter  desires  him  to  see,  and  to  make  him  cease 
work  and  come  in.  A  different  note  is  used  for  the 
respective  purposes,  and  once  the  note  is  definitely 
fixed  upon,  it  should  always  be  used  in  its  proper 
relation  and  none  other. 

The  trainer  can  use  any  note  or  combination  of 
notes  which  he  pleases,  there  being  nothing  specially 
conventional  in  this  respect,  although  in  a  general 
way  a  long  and  short  note  are  used  to  make  the  dog 
turn,  a  succession  of  short,  sharp  notes  to  attract  his 
attention,  and  a  prolonged  whistle  to  call  him  in. 

When  trained  for  field  trial  purposes,  some  dogs 
are  taught  to  work  further  out  and  go  faster  to  blasts 
of  the  whistle,  to  the  end  that  the  whistling  of  the 
opposing  handler  may  not  check  the  dog's  efforts. 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  245 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

FIELD  TRIAL  BREAKING  AND  HANDLING. 

IN  field  trial  competition,  a  dog  needs  to  do  his 
best,  and  this  he  can  do  only  when  he  has  self-con- 
fidence, proper  schooling,  good  spirits,  and  the  stam- 
ina which  comes  from  excellent  physical  condition. 

A  dog  working  alone  in  such  a  manner  as  pleases 
himself,  and,  perhaps,  in  a  manner  pleasing  to  the 
shooter,  is  then  engaged  quite  differently  from  a 
matter  of  competition.  Allowed  to  take  his  own 
time  and  methods  he  may  do  well ;  but  in  competition 
his  performance  is  relative,  and  therefore  inferior  if 
some  other  dog  does  better. 

The  field  work  of  the  dog,  with  its  cramped  sub- 
serviency to  the  interests  of  the  gun,  and  the  work 
of  the  dog  in  field  trial  competition,  are  distinct,  in- 
asmuch as  the  pottering  of  the  shooter  and  dog  in 
actual  work  is  largely  eliminated. 

There  are  shooters  who  hold  that  a  field  trial 
should  be  an  exhibition  of  high-class  fie!4  work  as  it 


246  TRAINING  THE  HUNTING  DOG 

is  done  in  actual  service  to  the  gun  afield.  Such  ar- 
guments are  absurd.  To  hold  a  dog  down  to  the  re- 
strictions imposed  by  actual  work  to  the  gun  would 
vitiate  all  competition.  The  purpose  of  the  compe- 
tition is  to  try  out  the  dog's  powers  to  the  utmost 
in  the  qualities  that  are  essential  in  actual  field  work, 
and  in  the  approved  manner  of  field  work,  free  from 
the  obstructiveness  of  the  shooter  whose  dominant 
idea  is  the  capture  of  the  bird  rather  than  the  degree 
of  his  dog's  natural  qualities. 

The  capture  of  the  bird,  by  the  way,  is  a  difficult 
idea  to  remove  from  the  average  shooter's  field  trial 
data.  He  cannot  consider  a  race  between  two  or 
more  dogs  without  making  the  dead  bird  a  standard 
of  value.  One  season  at  field  trials  usually  convinces 
the  as-in-actual-field-work  oracle  that  he  is  quite 
right,  and  the  field  trial  world  is  quite  wrong ;  in  the 
second  season  he  begins  to  learn  something  on  the 
one  hand  and  unlearn  something  on  the  other ;  and, 
later  on,  if  he  has  a  reasonable  degree  of  good  sense, 
he  learns  to  know  that  he  did  not  know  it  all. 

The  term  "natural  qualities"  is  difficult  to  explain 
to  the  advocate  of  pure  field  work  which  is  done  in 
the  interest  of  the  gun,  for  the  reason  that  it  em- 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  247 

bodies  a  theory  which  runs  counter  to  his  prejudg- 
ments  and  prejudices.  He  generally  attempts  the 
reductio  ad  absurdum  that  "natural  qualities"  indi- 
cate an  unbroken  dog  turned  loose  to  run  wild.  As 
a  matter  of  fact,  the  field  trial  dog  needs  to  be  broken 
to  a  certain  useful  degree,  and  while  he  competes 
after  the  manner  of  actual  field  work  he  is  freed 
from  its  deadening  burdens.  The  trotting  horse  is 
broken  to  harness  and  to  obedience  to  voice  and  rein, 
yet  he,  in  a  race,  is  given  the  freest  opportunity  to 
display  his  natural  qualities  to  their  utmost.  Why 
not  insist  that  he  should  race  to  a  farm  cart  so  that 
his  natural  qualities  would  thereby  be  displayed  "as 
in  actual  field  work"? 

The  manner  in  which  the  horse  races  is  not  the 
manner  in  which  he  is  driven  on  the  road ;  the  man- 
ner in  which  he  is  trained  on  the  track  is  not  the 
manner  in  which  he  is  trained  for  road  work ;  yet  the 
natural  qualities,  the  speed,  stamina,  intelligence, 
gameness,  disposition,  etc.,  which  the  horse  displays 
in  races  are  the  qualities  which  are  of  service  in 
actual  road  work,  and  when  he  is  used  in  the  latter 
service  the  manner  of  handling  him  is  modifie4 
accordingly. 


248  TRAINING  THE   HUNTING  DOG 

No  sane  man  would  think  of  driving  his  horse 
on  the  road  if  he  were  racing  for  a  championship. 
Most  men  can  talk  sensibly  in  respect  to  the  distinc- 
tions between  a  race  horse  and  a  cart  horse,  yet  a 
large  percentage  of  them  would  probably  lose  their 
good  judgments  when  considering  the  differences 
between  a  field  dog  and  a  field  trial  dog,  though  the 
difference  between  them  might  be  merely  a  matter 
of  handling.  Indeed,  a  clog  might  be  both  a  field 
trial  dog  and  a  field  dog,  and  not  infrequently  he  is 
such.  Few  men  can  handle  a  race  horse  or  field  trial 
dog;  not  every  man  can  handle  the  ordinary  horse  or 
dog,  and  some  men  cannot  handle  any  kind  of  dog, 
for  which  they  hold  the  dog  blamable. 

It  is  true  that  fast  dogs  have  bolted  at  field  trials, 
and  it  also  is  true  that  race  horses  have  run  away 
on  the  tracks  when  racing,  but  it  would  be  erroneous 
to  assume  that  such  acts  are  considered  standards  of 
merit.  And  yet  a  dog  of  high-class  natural  quali- 
ties may  commit  a  flagrant  error  and  win  ^  race,  not 
by  virtue  of  having  committed  such  error,  but  by  vir- 
tue of  being  a  better  performer  than  his  competitors, 
error  and  all  considered.  On  the  other  hand,  a  dog 
may  commit  an  error  of  such  magnitude  that  it  dis- 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  249 

qualifies  him  from  further  competition  in  the  race 
in  which  he  is  engaged. 

Field  trials  are  conducted  by  intelligent,  experi- 
enced gentlemen.  They  have  all  the  experience  and 
knowledge  which  come  from  *  'actual  field  work," 
with  the  added  knowledge  of  what  constitutes  the 
principles  of  a  competition  and  the  best  manner  of 
conducting  it. 

In  preparing  a  dog  for  a  competition  it  therefore 
is  better  to  act  on  the  theory  that  he  will  engage  in 
a  race.  Memories  of  what  dear  Star  did  on  a  mem- 
orable day  when  he  made  forty-nine  or  more  points 
with  birds  to  every  point  will  not  offset  his  inferior 
performance  in  competition.  Not  what  he  has  done, 
but  what  he  does  do,  is  the  only  datum  the  judge 
considers. 

To  perform  at  his  best,  a  dog  must  be  in  fine 
physical  condition.  His  muscles  must  be  hard  and 
strong;  his  feet  tough;  his  body  free  from  fat  and 
surplus  flesh,  all  resulting  from  sufficient  exercise  in 
the  preliminary  weeks,  combined  with  proper  feed- 
ing and  general  good  care.  Furthermore,  he  must 
have  ample  practice  on  birds,  so  that  he  will  be  able 
to  perform  quickly  and  skillfully  on  them,  Speedy 


250  TRAINING  THE  HUNTING  DOG 

work  is  essential,  for  one  can  easily  understand  that 
a  dog  which  works  on  his  birds  sharply,  accurately 
and  intelligently  will  not  give  a  slower  dog  any 
chance  to  score,  however  well  the  latter  may  be  able 
to  work  if  given  more  time.  No  forcing  process 
serves  to  fit  the  dog  for  a  field  trial.  Over-exercis- 
ing to  reduce  fat,  whipping  to  correct  errors,  etc.,  do 
not  condition  or  prepare  the  dog.  Soft  flesh,  thick 
wind  and  unskillfulness  are  not  corrected  by  hurry  or 
pressure.  Good,  honest  preparation  and  enough 
time  are  the  essentials. 

Without  the  necessary  preparation  no  dog  has 
other  than  an  exceedingly  remote  chance  in  a  field 
trial  competition.  Trusting  to  luck  and  to  one's  own 
ability  to  help  the  dog  to  win  is  trusting  to  a  forlorn 
hope. 

The  judges  are  quite  alive  to  what  work  is  done 
independently  by  the  dog  and  what  is  done  by  the 
assistance  of  his  handler.  They  will  make  their  esti- 
mates accordingly.  This  does  not  imply  that  skill 
is  not  necessary  in  handling  a  dog  in  a  field  trial, 
but  it  notes  a  distinction  between  skillfully  handling 
a  dog  which  is  able  to  make  a  good  competition  and, 
on  the  other  hancj,  endeavoring  to  assist  one  which 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  25! 

is  unfit  to  compete.  Handling  and  assisting  are  dif- 
ferent matters. 

Sharp  practice  is  now  many  years  obsolete.  Hon- 
esty and  skillfulness  are  not  in  the  least  antagon- 
istic. Any  attempts  at  trickery  are  instantly  de- 
tected by  the  modern  judge,  and  if  the  offending 
handler  escapes  a  reprimand  on  the  spot  he  does  not 
escape  close  surveillance  thereafter  and  a  disbelief 
in  his  honesty  on  the  part  of  the  judges,  so  that,  in  a 
way,  lie  justly  suffers  a  depreciation  of  character 
from  any  attempts  at  tricky  handling. 

The  field  trial  dog  is  best  developed  by  permitting 
him  to  self-hunt,  or  by  conducting  his  training  on  a 
modification  of  it.  In  this  manner  his  self-interest 
is  stimulated  to  its  utmost,  consistent  with  a  reason- 
able degree  of  work  to  the  gun. 

Some  dogs  work  less  keenly  when  restricted  too 
closely  in  their  work  to  the  gun;  others  work  in  a 
slovenly,  spiritless  manner  under  such  circumstances. 

The  greater  self-interest  the  trainer  can  evoke  in 
the  dog,  the  greater  will  be  the  dog's  effort  to  gratify 
it.  This,  in  the  main,  can  be  done  and  maintained 
only  by  kindness  and  encouragement. 

The  chief  considerations  in  a  field  trial  are  lo~ 


252  TRAINING  THE  HUNTING  DOG 

eating  the  birds;  pointing  them;  backing  the  com- 
peting dog;  "bird  sense";  steadiness  to  point,  wing 
and  shot;  judgment  in  speed  and  endurance  in  rang- 
ing. 

The  general  wisdom  of  the  dog,  as  manifested 
by  his  practical  acts,  is  expressed  by  the  term  "bird 
sense."  Any  training  over  and  above  what  brings 
out  these  qualities  in  a  finished  manner  is  redun- 
dant, and,  from  a  competitive  standpoint,  tends  to- 
ward harming  the  dog's  chances  rather  than  toward 
improving  them.  In  seeking,  finding,  pointing,  etc., 
the  mind  of  the  dog  should  be  concentrated  on  the 
work  which  is  recognized  as  competitive.  If  he 
makes  his  work  secondary  to  the  doings  of  his  han- 
dler he  is  thereby  hampered  with  considerations 
which  are  not  competitive,  and  his  performance  as 
a  contestant  will  be  injured  accordingly.  In  short, 
the  field  trial  dog  is  trained  specially  to  fit  the  con- 
ditions of  a  race.  If  he  works  out  his  ground  with 
greater  speed  and  more  judgment,  follows  a  trial 
with  greater  speed  and  precision,  points  his  birds 
more  truly  than  does  his  competitor,  he  will  be  do- 
ing practically  all  the  work.  His  opponent  then  will 
seem  \Q  be  doing  nothing,  for  the  work  all  being 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AMD  FIELD  TRIALS. 

done  before  he  can  get  to  it,  there  is  nothing  for  him 
to  do. 

Contrary  to  the  views  held  by  some  writers,  great 
experience  on  game  is  no  handicap  to  the  field  trial 
dog.  It,  on  the  contrary,  gives  him  the  knowledge 
which  he  needs  in  competition.  He  cannot  be  too 
knowing  in  all  the  details  of  field  work.  Great  ex- 
perience, however,  may  not  be  confounded  with 
overwork  or  staleness,  which  is  a  decided  factor  in 
making  a  dog  indifferent  and  unfit  for  his  best  per- 
formance. Experience,  in  a  proper  sense,  never 
makes  a  dog  less  keen  or  less  snappy  in  his  work,  but 
overwork  will,  to  a  certainty,  make  him  so. 

The  essentials  of  a  good  field  trial  dog's  perform- 
ance are  as  follows :  Staying  out  at  his  work  indus- 
triously, and  therefore  never  coming  in  to  his  han- 
dler till  ordered  to  do  so;  beating  out  his  ground 
with  judgment — that  is  to  say,  going  from  one  to 
another  of  the  places  likely  to  serve  as  haunts  or 
feeding  grounds  for  the  birds;  locating  the  birds 
quickly  and  accurately  after  he  catches  the  foot  scent 
or  the  body  scent;  pointing  them  intelligently  and 
stanchly,  and  backing  only  when  it  is  necessary 
to  do  so;  all  being  governed  by  a  desire  to  be  inde- 


254  TRAINING  THE   HUNTING  DOC 

pendent  in  action,  and  take  the  initiative  whenever 
it  is  possible  to  do  so.  To  be  fitted  naturally  for  such 
performance  he  must  have  speed,  intelligence,  stam- 
ina, enthusiasm  and  pluck,  self-confidence,  a  good 
nose  and  a  good  disposition. 

The  preliminary  fitting  of  the  dog  for  field  trial 
competition  is  a  matter  to  keep  in  mind  at  all  times. 
During  the  summer  months  he  should  be  kept  in 
reasonably  good  physical  condition  by  exercise,  good 
food  and  a  wholesome  place  in  which  to  sleep.  His 
field  work,  beginning  with  short  hunts,  is  gradually 
increased,  till  he  is  given  all  the  work  he  can  stand 
without  lessening  his  enthusiasm  and  energy  in  it. 
He  should  when  at  work  be  thrown  entirely  on  his 
own  resources,  consistent  with  the  conditions  ex- 
acted by  the  competition. 

If  the  dog  has  not  the  knowledge  of  how  best  to 
hunt  his  ground  or  go  to  his  birds,  etc.,  before  the 
race,  during  the  race  is  a  badly  chosen  time  in  which 
to  teach  or  assist  him.  While  the  handler  is  endeav- 
oring to  help  his  dog  to  accomplish  a  certain  act,  the 
competing  dog,  more  confident  and  able,  may  do  it 
readily  on  his  own  initiative. 

The  information  already  presented  in  this  work 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  255 

on  the  subject  of  a  steadiness  to  shot,  point,  back 
and  wing  is  applicable  to  the  training  of  the  field 
trial  dog.  He  must  be  steady  in  the  work  which  is 
designated  as  being  competitive.  Flushing  inten- 
tionally or  through  erroneous  judgment  will  be  pen- 
alized to  a  certainty,  although  flushes  under  adverse 
conditions,  such  as  running  onto  a  bird  down  or 
across  wind  when  the  dog  could  not  scent  it,  are 
rarely  considered  demerits. 

The  best  manner  of  ranging,  reading,  pointing, 
etc.,  qualities  treated  fully  in  previous  chapters,  are 
essential  to  the  field  trial  dog.  They  should  be  care- 
fully developed  to  their  best,  for  the  fact  that  the 
dog  is  in  a  race  instead  of  "an  ordinary  day's  shoot- 
ing" should  ever  be  borne  in  mind,  for  to  insist  that 
the  field  trial  should  be  conducted  as  an  ordinary 
day's  shooting  is  analogous  to  insisting  that  a  horse 
race  should  be  conducted  as  an  ordinary  day's  farm 
work.  In  the  one  case,  the  dog  displays  the  powers 
with  which  Nature  endowed  him,  under  the  least 
restriction  consistent  with  his  control;  in  the  other, 
he  displays  his  powers  as  a  menial  habituated  to  the 
restrictions  of  servitude. 

It  is  better  to  give  the  dog  as  much  preparation 


256  TRAINING  THE  HUNTING  DOG 

as  possible  near  the  scene  of  the  trials,  so  that  he 
may  have  experience  on  grounds  similar  to  those  of 
the  field  trials  and  become  acclimated.  Changes  of 
water,  climate,  food,  etc.,  not  infrequently  affect  the 
dog's  condition  and  the  quality  of  his  field  work  for 
several  days  or  weeks.  He  never  should  be  run 
longer  than  he  maintains  his  best  speed  and  effort. 

An  hour  at  first,  once  or  twice  a  day,  night  and 
morning,  when  the  dog  is  coolest,  with  a  two-hour 
run  every  second  or  third  day  when  he  is  in  better 
condition,  will  serve  to  maintain  the  average  good 
dog  at  his  best  field  work.  It  is  a  mistake,  on  the 
other  hand,  to  have  a  dog  so  highly  keyed  in  speed 
that  from  an  excess  of  animal  spirits  he  will  run  so 
fast  that  he  cannot  do  anything  other  than  to  pick 
out  a  course  to  run  in.  When  so  extended,  he  can- 
not use  his  nose  to  the  best  advantage,  even  if  he 
can  use  it  at  all.  For  the  trials  which  have  longer 
heats  than  a  half  hour  or  hour,  the  matter  of  en- 
durance must  be  more  seriously  considered,  and  the 
preparation  of  the  dog  must  aim  to  establish  less 
speed  and  longer  effort.  His  preparatory  runs  then 
are  longer,  to  conform  with  the  longer  runs  exacted 
in  the  competition  wherein  endurance  is  a  factor. 


FOR  f  HE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  257 

Dogs  vary  greatly  in  their  capacity  for  work; 
Some  will  perform  well  every  day,  while  others; 
again,  may  not  be  equal  to  a  satisfactory  perform- 
ance oftener  than  every  other  day.  The  idiosyncra- 
sies of  the  individual  must  govern.  The  trainer 
should  endeavor  to  keep  the  dog  at  a  pitch  wherein 
he  delights  to  work  every  moment.  If  the  dog  pot- 
ters betimes,  or  loafs,  or  is  dilatory  of  execution,  he 
loses  accordingly  if  his  opponent  is  industriously 
persistent  and  finished  in  his  work. 

TheDerbys  are  considered  by  many  as  being  puppy 
stakes,  but  they  are  so  in  name  only.  The  age  limit 
is  necessarily  so  liberal  that  it  permits  the  running 
of  two-year-olds,  a  trifle  more  or  less  as  to  age,  and 
at  two  years  a  dog  may  be  considered  as  mature  in 
relation  to  field  work.  The  breeder  should,  there- 
fore, endeavor  to  have  his  puppies  whelped  as  nearly 
on  or  after  Jan.  i  as  possible,  thereby  to  obtain  the 
greatest  allowable  age.  Then  they  can  be  given  quite 
a  thorough  training  the  fall  and  winter  of  their  first 
season,  beginning  their  second  season  as  trained 
dogs  prepared  to  take  a  post-graduate  course,  and 
to  enlarge  their  practical  experience. 

In  handling  a  dog  in  competition,   the  trainer 


258  TRAINING  THE   HUNTING  DOG 

should  attend  strictly  to  his  own  affairs.  Any  at- 
tempt to  supervise  or  dictate  to  the  opposing  handler 
is  impertinent  and  useless.  Any  captiousness  or  in- 
subordination in  respect  to  the  judges  militates 
against  the  handler's  success.  If  one  handler  obeys 
the  "judges'  instructions  and  the  other  does  not,  the 
judges  will  possibly  after  a  while  leave  the  disobedi- 
ent handler  to  go  where  he  pleases  and  do  as  he 
likes,  the  disobedience  and  refusal  to  follow  the  in- 
structions justly  being  considered  as  inability  to  do 
so. 

The  judges  will  always  give  a  respectful  hearing 
to  any  complaints  of  interference  made  by  a  handler, 
if  they  are  not  frivolous  or  prejudiced  in  their  ori- 
gin. However,  it  is  much  better  to  go  through  the 
competition  looking  out  for  the  best  interests  of  the 
dogs  in  charge  rather  than  to  engage  in  looking  for 
trouble. 

Some  handlers  school  their  dogs  to  disregard  the 
whistle,  or  to  go  out  the  faster  when  they  hear  it, 
and  this  to  guard  against  their  being  called  in  or 
turned  at  improper  junctures  by  the  \vhistling  of  the 
opposing  handler.  , 

There  are  but  few  handlers  who  do  not  whistle 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  259 

to  and  order  their  dogs  too  much  when  in  competi- 
tion.   The  less  noise  made,  the  better. 

Between  heats  the  dog  should  be  carried  in  a 
wagon.  After  a  heat  is  ended  he  should  have  all  the 
burrs,  etc.,  picked  out  of  his  coat  and  from  between 
his  toes,  and  if  the  weather  is  at  all  cold  or  raw  he 
should  be  blanketed  and  made  comfortable. 


26O  TRAINING  THE   HUNTING  DOG 


CHAPTER  XX. 

FIELD  TRIAL  JUDGING. 

THE  field  trial  judge  at  the  greatest  trials  is  rarely 
other  than  thoroughly  competent  to  fill  the  position. 
The  many  years  of  experience  have  given  to  him 
a  thorough  schooling  in  field  trial  principles  and  field 
trial  management.  Reporters,  handlers  and  owners 
have  also  derived  common  field  trial  knowledge  from 
greater  experience,  so  that  the  field  trials  of  the  pres- 
ent are  conducted  on  principles  and  rules  in  which  all 
who  are  properly  experienced  readily  concur. 

The  trials  have  fully  demonstrated  that  field  ex- 
perience alone  is  an  insufficient  schooling  for  a  field 
trial  judge.  There  is  now  a  sharply  recognized  dis- 
tinction between  following  a  dog  for  the  purpose  of 
killing  birds  over  him,  and  following  him  to  deter- 
mine how  his  hunting  qualities  compare  with  those 
of  some  other  dog  or  dogs,  or  what  they  are  intrin- 
sically in  themselves.  There  is  all  the  difference  be- 
tween the  two  instances  that  there  is  between  a  horse 
drawing  a  plow  and  a  horse  in  a  race;  and  yet  the 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  26 1 

man  who  held  a  plow  all  his  life  very  well  might  not 
be  able  to  judge  in  a  horse  race  very  well.  Indeed, 
there  are  many  good  shooters  who  can  reap  the  best 
results  from  the  work  of  a  setter  or  pointer,  yet  who 
cannot  explain  in  detail  the  essentials  of  good  field 
work,  nor  wherein  one  manner  of  it  is  better  or 
worse  than  another. 

The  field  trial  judge  should  have  a  perfect  theo- 
retical knowledge  of  the  different  degrees  of  the 
qualities  which  are  recognized  as  being  competitive, 
each  as  it  concerns  itself  and  as  it  relates  to  the 
others.  This  knowledge  should  be  broadly  supple- 
mented with  practical  experience,  so  that  he  will  be 
able  to  discern  the  real  from  the  sham  work  dis- 
played in  actual  competition,  as,  for  instance,  when 
two  dogs  are  ranging  alike  in  respect  to  speed  and 
area  of  ground  covered,  yet  one  is  running  merely 
from  high  spirits,  without  using  his  nose  industri- 
ously, while  the  other  is  working  after  the  best  man- 
ner, etc.  Again,  some  dogs  will  hunt  well  with  a 
dog  which  will  take  the  initiative  and  lead  them  out. 
They  like  company  and  rivalry ;  they  go  as  wide  as 
their  leader.  Alone,  such  dogs  might  not  take  an 
independent  cast  of  a  hundred  yards, 


262  TRAINING  THE   HUNTING  DOG 

As  nearly  all  field  trial  managements  engage  three 
judges,  the  third  man  may  be  a  novice,  although 
he  should  be  an  expert  as  to  experience.  This  serves 
to  graduate  new  material.  With  two  competent  ex- 
perts, the  third  man,  whether  he  be  competent  or  in- 
competent, will  have  no  material  effect  on  the  re- 
sults, for  if  he  be  competent  he  agrees  with  them, 
and  if  he  be  incompetent  they  outvote  him  and  de- 
cide accordingly. 

Contrary  to  the  estimates  of  the  inexperienced, 
the  mere  matter  of  deciding  which  is  the  better  of 
two  dogs,  or  the  best  of  a  lot  of  dogs,  is  but  a  small 
part  of  a  judge's  duties.  He  should  have  a  good  sense 
of  location,  so  that  after  working  out  the  grounds 
once  or  twice  he  will  have  a  knowledge  of  their  topo- 
graphical features  and  the  habitats  of  the  birds. 
For  each  heat,  when  he  knows  their  field  trial  re- 
sources, he  can  lay  out  a  course  which  will  equitably 
divide  the  grounds  which  contain  birds  and  those 
which  do  not,  with  a  due  consideration  of  open  and 
cover,  so  that  there  will  be  a  free  opportunity  to  dis- 
play range  and  work  in  cover,  the  heat  proceeding 
consecutively  the  while  without  any  disorder. 

The  unskilled  judge,  in  the  matter  of  locality,  is 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  263 

merely  drifting  about  from  place  to  place,  running 
squarely  against  boundary  lines  which  cannot  be 
crossed,  or  creeks,  or  dense  thickets,  or  farmyards, 
or  places  which  are  nowhere  in  particular,  and  no 
good  at  all,  with  the  result  that  the  dogs  must  be 
repeatedly  called  in,  the  whole  party  doubling  back  on 
itself  and  on  its  trail,  imposing  a  general  readjust- 
ment to  make  a  new  start,  with  a  walk  of  a  few  hun- 
dred yards  or  a  mile  before  new  grounds  can  be 
reached. 

The  judge  whose  memory  is  bad  as  to  locality  is 
generally  governed  by  his  vision  from  point  to  point, 
so  that,  instead  of  a  consecutive  course  planned  out, 
the  heat  is  a  succession  of  disorganized  readjust- 
ments, which  either  mar  or  destroy  the  competition. 
The  dogs  are  hardly  well  started  on  one  course  be- 
fore the  handlers  are  directed  to  send  them  on  an- 
other. The  handlers  become  separated  in  searching 
for  their  respective  dogs,  or,  one  dog  being  well  in 
hand  when  the  new  course  is  given,  his  handler  hur- 
ries him  ahead  on  it,  while  the  other  handler  tarries 
far  behind  in  an  effort  to  turn  or  find  his  dog.  When 
the  heat  ends,  this  kind  of  judge  does  not  know 
where  the  wagons  are  which  contain  the  dogs  to  be 


264  TRAINING  THE  HUNTING  DOG 

run  in  the  next  heat,  and  a  wait  is  entailed  before  the 
next  heat  is  begun. 

Before  a  heat  is  begun  the  judges  should  care- 
fully estimate  where  it  will  end,  and  direct  the  com- 
petitors to  be  at  that  place  with  their  dogs  in  waiting. 
All  such  matters  are  now  by  expert  judges  managed 
with  a  precision  which  a  few  years  ago  would  have 
been  deemed  impossible.  Every  detail  is  so  provided 
for  that  it  comes  in  its  proper  sequence. 

A  course  when  once  laid  out  and  the  heat  begun 
should  be  followed  with  a  reasonable  degree  of  con- 
sistency. Any  material  deviation  from  it  for  a  mo- 
mentary advantage  is  sure  to  result  in  a  serious  dis- 
arrangement of  the  general  plans. 

There  are  many  incidents  which  tend  to  change 
the  course  and  disorganize  the  plans  of  inexperi- 
enced judges,  not  the  least  of  which  is  the  dramatic 
cry  of  "Point,  Judges !"  made  by  a  handler  two  or 
three  hundred  yards  away  from  the  announced 
course.  The  novice-judge,  nine  times  out  of  ten, 
rides  in  a  furious  gallop  to  see  the  supposed  point, 
and  nearly  as  many  times  out  of  ten  there  is  no  point. 
It  is  an  old,  and  many  times  successful,  device  on  the 
part  of  the  straggling  handler,  to  draw  the  judges 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  265 

near  him  so  that  he  will  not  have  the  trouble  of  walk- 
ing back  to  the  judges,  nor  disturb  the  range  of  his 
dog  in  turning  and  working  him  back  on  the  true 
course. 

Nor  should  the  judges  gallop  out  after  the  dogs 
which  disappear  for  a  few  moments  in  ranging ;  for 
when  the  dogs  so  see  the  judges  they  will  cast  out 
further  and  further,  working  to  the  horses  as  they 
would  do  to  their  handlers,  so  that  the  judge  who 
rides  ahead  of  the  handlers  at  all  is  seriously  and  di- 
rectly interfering  with  the  competition. 

If  the  dog  is  trained  properly  for  the  competition, 
he  will  range  to  his  handler;  hence  the  spectacular 
galloping  to  the  front  is  unnecessary  aside  from  the 
display  of  brave  horsemanship.  If  the  dog  will  not 
range  to  his  handler,  it  is  a  matter  with  which  the 
judge  has  no  concern  as  an  assistant  in  the  hand- 
ling. Moreover,  galloping  about,  right  and  left,  here 
and  there,  is  undignified  and  unnecessary.  The  hand- 
lers are  entirely  responsible  for  the  handling  of  their 
dogs ;  the  judges  are  responsible  only  for  judging  the 
dogs  as  the  handlers  display  their  merits. 

When  a  dog  is  really  lost,  as  a  good  dog  will  be  at 
limes  when  on  a  point  in  a  thicket,  etc.,  it  is  a,  mat- 


266  TRAINING  THE  HUNTING  DOG 

ter  of  courtesy  to  assist  in  finding  the  lost  dog  in 
an  ordinary  manner.  Half-broken  or  unmanageable 
dogs,  however,  should  never  induce  the  judges  to 
leave  their  places  behind  the  handlers. 

The  best  judging  distance  is  about  twenty  to  thirty 
yards  behind  the  handlers,  when  in  the  open  fields. 
The  judges  can  spread  out  from  thirty  to  fifty  yards, 
incidentally  taking  advantage  of  rises  in  the  ground, 
to  see  the  work  of  the  dogs  at  a  distance,  and  this 
without  interfering  with  the  range  or  the  duties  of 
the  handlers.  Their  effort  should  be  to  see  all  the 
work  done,  without  interfering  in  any  way  with  the 
dog's  opportunities. 

If  a  handler  cannot  keep  his  dog  on  a  course  laid 
out  for  him  by  the  judges,  his  delinquency  in  this  re- 
spect is  his  own  loss.  It  is  unreasonable  to  expect  the 
judges  and  all  the  rest  of  the  field  trial  interests  to 
follow  the  erratic  course  laid  out  by  an  unmanage- 
able dog,  although  the  new  judge  is  not  at  all  un- 
likely to  attempt  it ;  less  so  than  formerly,  however. 

A  firm,  good-tempered  management  of  the  hand- 
lers and  a  strict  observance  of  fairness  toward  them 
will  win  their  respect.  The  judges,  however,  should 
be  supreme  in  dictating  all  that  concerns  the  compe- 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  267 

tition.  No  interference  with  their  prerogative  should 
be  tolerated. 

Any  flurry  on  the  part  of  the  judges  is  certain  to 
have  a  corresponding  effect  on  the  handlers  and  the 
competition.  If  the  judges  stampede  at  every  cry  of 
"Point  F  etc.,  there  is  sure  to  be  what  is  termed  in 
field  trial  parlance  "hustling"  on  the  part  of  the 
handlers.  When  the  handlers  note  that  the  judges 
will  not  go  in  other  than  an  orderly  manner,  they  go 
in  an  orderly  manner  themselves. 

A  dog  which  will  not  hold  his  point  or  back  till  his 
handler  can  walk  up  to  him  has  little  claim  to  win- 
ning a  field  trial,  even  if  he  has  competitive  ability 
worthy  of  consideration  at  all.  Steadiness  is  a  mat- 
ter of  test  quite  as  much  as  is  any  other  quality, 
therefore  there  is  no  reason  for  unsteadiness  on  the 
part  of  the  judges. 

A  matter  of  the  first  importance  is  to  know  when  a 
heat  is  ended ;  that  is  to  say,  when  the  dogs  in  it  have 
displayed  fully  such  qualities  as  they  have;  and  to 
know  when  all  the  dogs  in  a  stake  have  shown  the 
best  competition  of  which  they  are  capable.  Gener- 
ally speaking,  all  the  competition  in  a  stake,  if  hand- 
led by  the  judges  so  that  the  dogs  will  display  their 


268  TRAINING  THE  HUNTING  DOG 

best  qualities,  tends  to  a  certain  definite  climax, 
which  brings  certain  dogs  to  the  fore  as  the  legiti- 
mate winners. 

If  the  dogs*  are  overworked  from  heat  to  heat  and 
thereby  the  natural  climax  of  the  competition  is  de 
stroyed,  there  follows  a  series  of  anti-climax  circum- 
stances which  destroys  all  possibility  of  intelligent 
decisions.  Some  of  the  field  trials  of  the  past  have 
not  been  free  from  such  mistaken  management  on 
the  part  of  the  judges. 

When  all  the  dogs  in  a  stake  are  run  to  a  stand- 
still, they  are  all  then  on  the  same  level  as  to  per- 
formance and  ability.  An  analogous  case  would  be 
if  the  judges  trotted  till  they  were  all  so  completely 
exhausted  that  they  could  not  walk.  If  this  procedure 
were  kept  up  heat  after  heat,  it  is  readily  apparent 
that,  from  a  racing  standpoint,  there  would  have 
been  a  long  departure  past  the  true  racing  climax. 

When  the  true  climax  in  a  field  trial  is  passed,  the 
whole  competitive  situation  begins  to  change.  The 
judges  may  know  which  are  the  best  dogs,  but  if 
they  have  run  them  to  a  standstill,  dogs  of  inferior 
quality  may  apparently  be  making  a  better  showing 
at  the  finish,  Lucky  finds,  made  by  poor  dogs,  will 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  269 

still  further  aggravate  the  anti-climax,  and  a  com- 
petition which  was  once  well  in  hand  and  definite  as 
to  its  results  will  then  become  indeterminate  on  the 
competition  shown,  and  nothing  is  left  for  the  judges 
but  to  settle  it  arbitrarily. 

It  is  a  most  embarrassing  situation  for  the  judges 
when  the  best  dogs  have  been  run  to  a  standstill, 
while  others,  less  deserving,  are  fresher  from  una- 
voidable circumstance  and  accidental  advantage, 
such  as  running  in  the  cool  parts  of  the  day,  or  in  bet- 
ter parts  of  the  ground  and  with  better  opportunities 
on  birds,  and  may  make  the  best  final  showing. 

The  last  impressions  are  the  most  realistic  and  the 
best  remembered,  so  that  the  good  work  of  the  best 
dogs  in  the  commencement  of  a  trial  is  not  so  impres- 
sive as  the  good  work  of  any  kind  of  a  dog  at  the 
conclusion,  when  the  best  dogs  have  been  incapaci- 
tated from  excessive  competition. 

There  is  always  a  small  percentage  of  grumblers 
at  field  trials  regardless  of  the  wisdom  of  the  man- 
agement or  the  decisions  of  the  judges,  and  of  these 
the  shallowest  is  generally  the  most  assertive  and  the 
most  malicious. 

The  "kicker"  is  not  obsolete  at  trials,  though  his 


2/O  TRAINING  THE   HUNTING  DOG 

numbers  are  not  so  great  as  they  were  formerly. 
Some  men  are  constitutional  kickers.  Whether  at 
play  or  at  business,  their  selfishness  always  domi- 
nates their  will  and  blinds  their  judgment.  Adver- 
tising their  dogs,  a  love  of  notoriety,  faulty  informa- 
tion, etc.,  actuate  others.  But  whatever  the  opinion 
of  the  multitude  may  be,  the  judge  should  not  be  in- 
fluenced by  it  in  the  least.  Just  decisions  as  the 
judge  himself  evolves  them  should  be  the  only  con- 
sideration, regardless  of  who  approves  or  disap- 
proves. At  best  the  opinion  of  the  multitude  is  of 
little  value.  There  will  be  sufficient  diversity  of 
opinion  in  it  to  prove  almost  anything. 

Some  men  will  have  a  better  understanding  of  a 
dog's  work  in  one  day  than  some  other  men  will  have 
in  a  lifetime.  The  matter  of  brains  and  natural  apti- 
tude governs  in  this  case  as  it  does  in  all  other 
branches  of  man's  intelligent  effort ;  therefore  it  is  es- 
sential that  a  field  trial  judge  have  that  somewhat 
uncommon  quality  called  common  sense. 

The!  average  man  who  has  not  by  habit  been 
schooled  to  concentration  finds  great  difficulty  in 
concentrating  his  thoughts  on  one  subject  for  a  pro- 
longed period  of  time;  indeed,  without  a  prior  school- 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  2/1 

ing  many  men  cannot  do  so,  and  some  cannot  do  so 
longer  than  a  few  moments  at  a  time.  Men  who  are 
mentally  indolent  or  incapable  of  concentration  of 
mind  are  not  of  the  material  for  good  judges. 

The  field  trial  judge  must  keep  his  eye  and  mind 
on  the  dog's  work  incessantly.  Unless  he  sees  the 
work  done,  he  knows  nothing  about  it.  If  he  sees 
two  dogs,  one  on  point,  the  other  on  back,  after  they 
are  established,  he  does  not  know  but  what  the  point- 
ing dog  may  have  stolen  the  point  from  the  dog 
which  is  apparently  backing.  As  for  errors,  if  the 
judge's  eye  is  off  the  dogs,  they  may  be  made  and  the 
negligent  judge  will  never  of  his  own  knowledge 
know  that  they  ever  happened. 

The  good  judge  must  constantly  make  mental 
comparison  of  the  industry,  range,  bird  sense,  judg- 
ment, independence  of  action,  accuracy,  quickness, 
honest  work  to  the  gun,  etc.,  free  from  crafty  coach- 
ing by  his  handler  and  jealous  rivalry  of  his  competi- 
tor ;  therefore  to  master  all  the  details  of  the  competi- 
tion he  must  have  a  good  memory.  All  this,  added 
to  planning  the  course  for  each  heat  and  directing 
the  rendezvous  for  the  wagons  at  the  end  of  each 
heat,  is  quite  sufficient  to  keep^his  mind  occupied 


2)72  TRAINING  THE   HUNTING  DOC 

within  and  his  attention  engaged  without.  Thus  it 
will  be  noted  that  a  field  trial  is  a  much  more  pon- 
derous affair  to  handle  than  are  one  or  two  dogs  in 
actual  field  work. 

In  laying  out  a  course  for  a  heat,  reference  to  giv- 
ing the  dogs  a  good  consecutive  run  and  reference 
to  good  courses  for  the  other  dogs  should  be  consid- 
ered. 

Field  trial  clubs,  as  a  rule,  rent  their  grounds  and 
within  such  territory  they  have  all  the  needed  rights 
and  factors  for  giving  the  dogs  the  required  com- 
petitive tests. 

The  grounds  vary  greatly  in  character.  In  parts 
the  birds  are  in  generous  abundance ;  in  others  there 
may  be  none  at  all.  Some  parts  may  be  all  cover,  or 
mixed  open  and  cover,  or  open  entirely.  Creeks, 
wire  fences,  swamps,  steep  hills,  etc.,  are  also  circum- 
stances which  may  require  consideration.  It  is  read- 
ily perceived  that  if  the  grounds  are  worked  irregu- 
larly back  and  forth  without  any  fixed  plans,  or  that 
if  the  choice  parts  are  worked  out  first,  then  the  dogs 
which  run  in  the  subsequent  heats  work  on  ground 
already  more  or  less  worked  out,  or  they  have  to 
work  on  the  poorest  remaining  ground.  The  judge, 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  273 

therefore,  must  approximately  apportion  his  ground 
so  that  each  brace  will  have  a  trial  on  unworked 
ground,  dividing  the  choice  and  poor  parts  as  equit- 
ably as  may  be,  so  that  the  braces  will  have  chances 
as  near  alike  as  intelligent  planning  can  devise.  If 
one  dog  finds  and  points  a  dozen  bevies  in  a  certain 
course,  and  another  dog,  working  equally  well  in 
another  course,  finds  no  birds  because  there  are  none 
in  it  to  find,  the  former  would  likely  receive  the  ap- 
proval of  the  green  judge,  who  has  yet  to  learn  the 
value  of  opportunity  or  its  absence.  The  trained 
judge  has  all  such  considerations  in  mind. 

The  next  greatest  affliction  in  comparison  with  the 
judge  who  is  frantically  intent  on  being  everywhere 
at  the  same  time,  right  or  wrong,  is  the  judge  who 
has  no  ideas  in  respect  to  going  anywhere.  He  is 
weak  and  indecisive,  the  competition  lags  and  is  weak 
in  consequence,  because  he  does  not  know  where  to 
go  nor  what  to  do. 

Every  few  moments  there  is  likely  to  be  some  mat- 
ter submitted  to  him  for  a  ruling,  and,  however  good 
he  may  be  in  an  actual  day's  shooting,  if  he  is  not 
competent  as  a  judge  he  will  be  unable  to  conceal  it. 
Indecision  makes  incompetency  manifest,  and  the 


274  TRAINING  THE  HUNTING  DOG 

more  incompetent  he  is  the  more  rulings  he  will  have 
to  make,  for  error  begets  trouble  and  disorganiza- 
tion. Brave  impartiality  and  energy  when  judging 
imaginary  field  trials  in  a  circle  of  friends  by  the  fire- 
side, and  the  same  when  confronted  by  men  who  are 
sternly  in  earnest  in  a  real  trial,  have  quite  different 
aspects. 

The  ready  judgment  of  the  irresponsible  spectator 
who  sees  but  little  but  whose  conclusions  are  great 
is  many  times  at  the  judge's  service  if  he  will  but  lis- 
ten to  him.  It  is  a  mistake  to  discuss  the  competition 
with  any  on-looker,  as  it  is  a  mistake,  directly  or  in- 
directly, in  any  way,  to  endeavor  apologetically  to 
explain  any  decision.  If  a  contestant  asks  in  good 
faith  as  to  how  his  dog  was  beaten,  it  is  quite  proper 
to  give  him  the  needed  information ;  however,  the  in- 
formation being  given,  no  argument  concerning  it 
should  be  permitted. 

In  taking  dogs  into  the  second  and  subsequent 
series,  the  judge  should  be  careful  to  estimate  their 
performance  on  its  class  rather  than  on  a  mere  mat- 
ter of  detail  alone.  A  dog  which  shows  good-class 
ability  will  repeat  his  good  performance  heat  after 
heat,  whereas  the  dog  which  made  some  accidental 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  275 

good  work,  or  good  work  from  advantageous  cir- 
cumstance, may  be  entirely  incapable  of  repeating  it. 
A  man  who  cannot  discriminate  as  to  class  will 
never  make  an  accurate  and  sound  judge  of  field 
trial  competition.  Where  class  work  is  considered, 
the  competition  works  to  a  natural  and  definite  con- 
clusion ;  when  it  is  ignored,  there  may  be  the  absurd 
spectacle  of  a  low-class  dog  competing  for  first  at  the 
final  of  a  stake,  with  dogs  of  much  higher  ability  left 
out  of  the  competition.  Nor  should  any  dogs  of  in- 
ferior quality  be  taken  into  a  series  out  of  mere  com- 
pliment to  their  owners.  When  a  dog  has  shown 
himself  inferior  to  other  dogs,  his  part  in  the  compe- 
tition is  determined  and  should  be  ended.  To  take 
an  inferior  dog  into  a  series  to  which  he  is  not  en- 
titled on  his  merits  perpetrates  a  wrong  on  the  other 
competitors,  however  much  of  a  compliment  it  may 
be  to  the  owner. 


276  TRAINING  THE  HUNTING  DOG 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

KENNEL   MANAGEMENT. 

THE  dog's  sleeping  quarters  should  be  dry,  clean, 
well  ventilated  and  comfortable.  He  should  have 
ample  room  in  which  to  exercise,  in  default  of  which 
he  should  be  given  a  good  run  night  and  morning 
each  day.  Exercise  is  indispensable  to  his  physical 
and  mental  well-being. 

Dogs  should  never  be  kept  on  chain.  Old  dogs  in 
particular  fret  and  worry,  and  in  time  become  more 
or  less  soured  in  temper. 

Young  dogs,  from  standing  in  a  set,  strained  po- 
sition at  the  length  of  the  chain,  frequently  grow 
up  out  of  shape;  their  elbows  turn  out,  their  faces 
are  wrinkled  and  bear  an  anxious  expression,  and 
they  become  addicted  to  habitual  worry  and  irrita- 
tion. 

Cleanliness,  good  food,  pure  water,  exercise  and 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  2/7 

wholesome  sleeping  places  are  as  necessary  to  the 
good  health  of  the  dog  as  they  are  to  the  good  health 
of  his  master.  Exercise,  in  fact,  is  more  essential  to 
the  dog,  for  when  he  becomes  fat  his  powers  quickly 
degenerate.  He  then  becomes  indolent,  deficient  in 
stamina  and  predisposed  to  disease.  With  some 
dogs  it  is  a  matter  of  great  difficulty  to  work  off  the 
fat,  as  they  either  will  not  or  cannot  work  enough  to 
reduce  it  other  than  by  very  slow  degrees. 

The  food  of  the  dog  is  worthy  of  much  greater 
consideration  than  is  commonly  given  to  it.  The 
table  scraps  of  some  families  make  quite  good  food, 
while  those  of  other  families  cease  to  be  food  at  all 
for  any  animal.  There  is  quite  a  remove  between 
scraps  of  good  beef,  bread,  vegetables,  etc.,  on  the  one 
hand,  and  potato  skins  on  the  other ;  that  is  to  say, 
table  scraps,  to  be  of  food  value,  must  have  food  con- 
stituents. 

Sheeps'  heads,  tripe,  mutton,  beef,  roasted  rare  or 
boiled  with  cabbage,  turnips  and  onions,  etc.,  make 
an  excellent  food.  Corn-meal  or  any  other  purely 
vegetable  food  is  unfit  for  the  dog.  He  will  live  a 
shorter  time,  grow  old  younger  and  cease  to  be  a 
working  dog  at  an  earlier  age  than  he  will  on  any 


278  TRAINING  THE  HUNTING  DOG 

other  diet.  The  dog  is  carnivorous,  and  therefore  he 
needs  a  meat  diet.  The  ill  effect  of  the  latter,  when 
such  there  is,  is  not  from  the  meat  diet  of  itself,  but 
from  over-feeding.  In  a  state  of  nature  the  dog  gets 
his  meals  at  uncertain  times,  perhaps  days  apart. 
Once  a  day  is  quite  often  enough  to  feed  him,  yet  the 
average  dog  owner  is  prone  to  judge  of  the  dog's 
needs  by  his  own,  and  therefore  he  feeds  the  dog 
three  times  a  day  with  a  few  morsels,  perhaps,  be- 
tween times. 

The  dog's  digestive  organs  are  not  adapted  to  the 
assimilation  of  a  vegetable  diet.  On  this  point,  the 
following,  taken  from  a  paper  read  before  the  New 
England  Kennel  Club,  Boston,  July,  1884,  by  Dr. 
Billings,  will  be  read  with  interest:  "No  matter  in 
what  way  we  look  at  it,  the  dog's  ancestors  were  car- 
nivorous, and  the  nature  of  their  descendants  has  not 
changed  in  this  regard,  though,  as  in  everything  else, 
man  has  succeeded  in  changing  it  to  a  degree.  Still, 
a  carnivorus  he  was,  is  and  ever  will  be.  He  is  not  a 
masticator.  He  has  not  a  grinding  tooth  in  his  head. 
He  has  nothing  but  biting  and  tearing  teeth  in  the 
front,  and  crushers  in  the  posterior  part  of  the  jaws. 
He  takes  no  pleasure  in  eating  as  the  chewers — i.  e.t 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  279 

the  masticating  animals — do.  His  is  a  feeling  of 
emptiness,  and  when  able  he  gulps  his  food,  fills  his 
stomach  and,  when  he  can  do  so,  retires  to  a  secluded 
spot  to  rest.  It  may  be  interpolated  also  that,  in  pro- 
portion to  the  size  of  the  body,  the  canine  family 
have  the  largest  stomachs  of  any  known  species  of 
animals. 

"Critical  persons  need  not  think  we  have  any  ref- 
erence to  the  receptive  stomach  of  the  ruminants; 
we  mean  the  digestive  stomach. 

"The  dog's  natural  food  is  meat,  and  to  avoid  giv- 
ing them  a  strong  odor  we  should  cook  it.  Meal  and 
starchy  food  is  an  abomination,  and  totally  unfit  for 
dogs,  even  the  most  delicate,  though  all  the  bigoted 
ignorance  of  all  the  dog  men  from  time  to  eternity 
assert  the  contrary.  The  dog  can  live  on  the  stuff,  I 
admit,  but  it  finds  no  organs  for  its  preparation  or 
digestion  until  it  has  passed  through  the  stomach 
into  the  intestines.  He  has  no  grinders  to  prepare  it 
in  the  mouth,  and  if  he  had  he  gulps  it  without  chew- 
ing; his  salivary  glands  are  rudimentary,  hence  he 
has  no  means  whatever  of  turning  starchy  food  into 
sugar  and  dextrine,  which  fit  them  for  nourishment, 
as  ruminants  have.  Starchy  food  is  not  acted  upon 


280  TRAINING  THE   HUNTING  DOG 

by  the  gastric  juices  to  any  great  degree,  and  so  they 
pass  unchanged  through  the  stomach  into  the  begin- 
ning of  the  intestines,  where  the  pancreas  or  salivary 
glands  of  the  abdomen  have  to  do  all  the  work. 

"Feeding  on  meat  does  not  ruin  the  scent  of  sport- 
ing dogs  as  ignorance  so  frequently  asserts.  If  it 
did,  the  whole  wild  canine  race — wolves,  jackals,  etc. 
— would  long  ago  have  died  of  starvation.  Feeding 
meat  does  not  make  dogs  ugly,  but  confinement  and 
neglect  do.  Finally,  common  sense  and  the  study  of 
the  subject  in  all  its  details  are  better  guides  than  the 
accumulated  ignorance  of  the  world  on  any  sub- 
ject." 

The  experience  of  all  the  eminent  trainers  and 
most  advanced  sportsmen  fully  bears  out  the  forego- 
ing. A  dog  will  do  more  and  better  work  on  a  meat 
diet  than  on  any  other,  and  he  will  also  have  better 
health  and  a  longer  life  if  so  fed. 

Many  owners  are  prejudiced  in  favor  of  vegetable 
food  as  a  matter  of  economy.  There  is  no  doubt 
of  its  relative  cheapness,  but  that  is  quite  another 
matter  from  its  fitness, 

Whether  the  dog  is  working  or  idling,  one  meal  a 
day,  at  evening,  is  quite  enough.  The  sympathy  of 


FOR  THE  FIELD  AND  FIELD  TRIALS.  28 1 

the  owner  who  judges  his  dog's  needs  by  his  own  is 
wasted  when  he  imagines  that  the  dog  will  suffer 
from  hunger  if  he  has  not  three  meals  a  day.  Actual 
knowledge  in  this  matter  is  much  better  than  un- 
thinking sympathy. 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 
Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 


UJAJP* 


'O  LD 


APR  2  01967  27 


LD  21A-60m-10,'65 
(F7763sl0^476B 


General  Library 

University  of  California 

Berkeley 


YB   I6!2o 


'•!  %    V 


